Table 1.
Awareness and perceptions of the 176 participant farmers on snakes, first aid, treatment and prevention of snakebites
| Awareness/perception | Number of participants responded | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Venomous Snakes
|
|
|
|
| Most of the snakes in Sri Lanka are non-venomous |
176 |
131 (74.4%) |
45 (25.6%) |
|
First aid
|
|
|
|
| Bitten part of the body should be kept immobilized |
171 |
153 (89.5%) |
18 (10.5%) |
| Bitten site should not be excised |
173 |
138 (79.8%) |
35 (20.2%) |
| Aspirin should not be given for pain relief |
169 |
131 (77.5%) |
38 (22.5%) |
| Beverages containing alcohol should not be given to the patient for pain relief |
172 |
153 (89.0%) |
19 (11.0%) |
| Application of tight band (tourniquet) proximal to the site of bite |
171 |
128 (74.9%) |
43 (25.1%) |
|
Treatment
|
|
|
|
| Capturing of the offending snake for identification is not essential in treating the patient |
175 |
62 (35.4%) |
113 (64.6%) |
| Snakebites can be successfully treated in Sri Lanka |
169 |
126 (74.6%) |
43 (25.4%) |
| Antivenom is available only in some hospitals in Sri Lanka |
169 |
148 (87.6%) |
21 (12.4%) |
|
Preventive measures
|
|
|
|
| Avoiding of storing paddy harvest inside houses |
172 |
143 (83.1%) |
29 (16.9%) |
| Controlling rodents inside the houses |
175 |
173 (98.9%) |
2 (1.1%) |
| Storing firewood outside the houses |
165 |
125 (75.8%) |
40 (24.2%) |
| Clearing an area, devoid of leaf litter and grass around the houses |
174 |
171 (98.3%) |
3 (1.7%) |
| Tapping the ground with a stick, while walking outside at dusk |
168 |
142 (84.5%) |
26 (15.5%) |
| Carring a torch or a flame while walking outside at dusk |
176 |
175 (99.4%) |
1 (0.6%) |
| Wearing protective shoes while walking outside at dusk and while farming activities |
171 |
160 (93.6%) |
11 (6.4%) |
|
Preferred treatment method
|
|
|
|
| Native/Ayurveda treatment |
|
20 (11.5%) |
|
| Western treatment from a government hospital |
|
151 (86.8%) |
|
| No special preference for one treatment method | 3 (1.7%) |