Knowledge, perceptions, and exposure to bats in communities living around bat roosts in Bundibugyo district, Uganda: implications for viral haemorrhagic fever prevention and control

Table 3 The perception of survey participants towards bat exposure among persons living near bat roosting sites in Bundibugyo district

Perception	Variables	Frequency(n = 384)	%
Bat guano is safe to use as fertilizer	Don’t know^b	186	48.44
	No^a	34	8.85
	Yes^b	164	42.71
Touching dead bat with bare hands is okay	Don’t know^b	11	2.86
	No^a	335	87.24
	Yes^b	38	9.90
Bats are important for economic status	Don’t know^b	59	15.36
	No^a	239	62.24
	Yes^b	86	22.40
Bats are not harmful animals	Don’t know^b	43	11.20
	No^a	173	45.05
	Yes^b	168	43.75
When I touch a bat, can’t get diseases	Don’t know^b	55	14.32
	No^a	68	17.71
	Yes^b	261	67.97
People can’t get diseases from bats by sharing drinking water with them	Don’t know^b	55	14.32
	No^a	48	12.50
	Yes^b	281	73.18
I feel safe when I enter a place with bats	Don’t know^b	6	1.56
	No^a	320	83.33
	Yes^b	58	15.10
It is fine to consume bats	Don’t know^b	18	4.69
	No^a	313	81.51
	Yes^b	53	13.80
I am not concerned about diseases that people can get from bats	Don’t know^b	50	13.02
	No^a	159	41.41
	Yes^b	175	45.57
I allow my children to touch bats	Don’t know^b	9	2.34
	No^a	322	83.85
	Yes^b	53	13.80
When I find a dead bat, I bring it home and cook it	Don’t know^b	7	1.82
	No^a	355	92.45
	Yes^b	22	5.73
Perception overall	Negative	242	63.19
Perception overall	Positive	141	36.81

ISSN: 1471-2334