An evaluation of awareness about toxoplasmosis: a case study of Lorestan University of medical Sciences Educational Hospital staffs in 2014.

Toxoplasmosis is a common zoonosis with very wide and vary geographical distribution. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by intracellular mandatory protozoa that called Toxoplasma Gondii. The purpose of this study was Evaluate awareness of educational hospitals staffs of Khoramabad Medical Sciences University about toxoplasmosis. In this cross-sectional study population included staff that are working in all wards of the 5 hospitals located in Khorramabad, the capital of Lorestan province. 325 employees (overall sample size that obtained by sample size formula and proportional method) participated in the study by completing a researcher made-questionnaire (it has two parts: demographic information and questions related to toxoplasmosis awareness). The obtained data collected and managed by using the SPSS16 software, Results represented by descriptive statistics indices (mean, standard deviation, and frequency) as suitable tables and graphs. Finding of the present study show that 59.2% and 40.8% of participants were female and male, respectively. The highest degree of participants was Bachelor degree (68.7%). The results obtained of this research showed that Overall staff awareness was upper intermediate and internet use, was the most reference to obtain the information about toxoplasmosis (62.1%). The lowest staff awareness was about the toxoplasmosis transmission through raw milk, direct contact with contaminated sheep and organ transplantation. Awareness of majority of staffs related to reservoir of human toxoplasmosis and causes the disease was almost good. According to the obtained results of research, it is required to establish workshops to promote awareness of Non-specialized and specialized staff about important diseases such as toxoplasmosis, which can have irreversible health impacts.