{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T23:50:43Z","timestamp":1790725843149,"version":"4.1.0"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008993","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,29]],"date-time":"2021-01-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1611878400000}}],"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,19]],"date-time":"2021-01-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1611014400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Geographic pattern of dengue fever is changing due to the global environmental and climate changes in the 21<jats:sup>st<\/jats:sup>century. Evidence of community\u2019s knowledge, mosquito bite patterns and protective behavior practices in non-endemic regions is limited. This study examined the knowledge of dengue, mosquito bite patterns, protective behavior practices and their associated factors in Hong Kong, a non-endemic subtropical city. A population-based random telephone survey (n = 590) was conducted three weeks after the government announcement of a local dengue outbreak in August 2018. Sociodemographic status, awareness, knowledge, protective measures, bite patterns of mosquito were collected. Results indicated high level of community awareness of the local outbreak (95.2%), symptom identification (84.0%) and adoption of at least one mosquito protective measures (nearly 80%). About 40% of respondents reported that they were bitten by mosquitoes during the study period, a high mosquito season in Hong Kong. Mosquito bites were prevalent near grassy area (63.4%), at home (42.6%) and at public transportation waiting spots (39.6%). Younger people (&lt; 25 years old), female, those who lived on lower floors (\u2264the 6<jats:sup>th<\/jats:sup>) and near grassy area were at higher risk of mosquito bites at home. Respondents perceived higher threat of dengue to society were more likely to practice mosquito prevention. While residential factors affected their indoor prevention, other socio-demographic factors affected the outdoor prevention. Practicing prevention behaviors were associated with self-reported mosquito bite at home. Furthermore, the general prevention uptake rate unchanged after the announcement of local dengue outbreak. Although the uptake rate of protective measures during August was high, 40% participants reported they were bitten. Also public locations are more common area for bites, which suggested stronger mosquito prevention and control on public environments and more personal protective behaviors should be advocated.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008993","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,19]],"date-time":"2021-01-19T18:46:03Z","timestamp":1611081963000},"page":"e0008993","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Sociodemographic predictors of knowledge, mosquito bite patterns and protective behaviors concerning vector borne disease: The case of dengue fever in Chinese subtropical city, Hong Kong"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8854-5093","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Emily Ying Yang","family":"Chan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1614-5832","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Eugene Siu Kai","family":"Lo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhe","family":"Huang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8305-9280","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Holly Ching Yu","family":"Lam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5190-6174","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"May Pui-shan","family":"Yeung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kin-on","family":"Kwok","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8706-7758","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Kevin Kei Ching","family":"Hung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shelly Lap-ah","family":"Tse","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"pntd.0008993.ref001","unstructured":"World Health Organization. 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A Three-year Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Dengue Fever in Hong Kong [Internet]. 2005. Available from: https:\/\/www.chp.gov.hk\/files\/pdf\/scvbd_200508.pdf."},{"key":"pntd.0008993.ref019","unstructured":"Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Vector-borne diseases: Dengue Fever [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2019 Oct 31]. Available from: https:\/\/www.fehd.gov.hk\/english\/pestcontrol\/dengue_fever\/index.html."},{"key":"pntd.0008993.ref020","unstructured":"Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Public Services: Pest Control [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2019 Oct 31]. Available from: https:\/\/www.fehd.gov.hk\/english\/pestcontrol\/Pcas.html."},{"key":"pntd.0008993.ref021","unstructured":"The Government of the Hong Kong Speical Administrative Region. Press Release: DH provides updates on follow-up on local cases of dengue fever [Internet]. [cited 2019 Oct 31]. Available from: https:\/\/www.info.gov.hk\/gia\/general\/201808\/15\/P2018081500892.htm."},{"key":"pntd.0008993.ref022","unstructured":"The Government of the Hong Kong Speical Administrative Region. Press Release: Update on number of dengue fever cases [Internet]. [cited 2019 Oct 31]. Available from: https:\/\/www.info.gov.hk\/gia\/general\/201811\/23\/P2018112300761.htm."},{"key":"pntd.0008993.ref023","unstructured":"Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Number of notifiable infectious diseases by month in 2018 [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2019 Oct 31]. 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