Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Dog Owners Toward a Smart Health Education Pillbox for Controlling Echinococcosis - Western China, 2023-2024.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: Echinococcosis remains a critical public health challenge in western China. Conventional routine health education (RHE) strategies have consistently proven insufficient in achieving the sustained behavioral modifications necessary to reduce disease transmission and burden.

WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: This study provides the first large-scale experimental evidence that a Smart Health Education Pillbox (SHEP) significantly enhances knowledge, corrects misconceptions, and improves practice conversion efficiency regarding echinococcosis control among dog owners in endemic pastoral areas. These findings demonstrate the substantial value of precise, automated health education tools in controlling zoonotic diseases.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: The SHEP represents a scalable, precise health education tool that effectively bridges the knowledge-practice gap in resource-limited settings. Its demonstrated efficacy supports integration into national echinococcosis control programs as a cost-effective digital intervention that promotes sustainable behavior change and reduces zoonotic disease transmission.