INTRODUCTION:
Cholera is a waterborne diarrheal disease. Severe outbreaks can occur in areas with poor sanitation and infrastructure. This makes the ongoing epidemic in Sudan particularly concerning, due to widespread displacement and the collapse of both infrastructure and the health sector as the region continues to be ravaged by war. Understanding the current level of community knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards the prevention and treatment of cholera helps to allocate resources more effectively and tailor interventions and health education to local needs.

METHODS:
This community-based cross-sectional study evaluated KAP towards cholera prevention and treatment in outbreak regions of Sudan. Data from 432 participants were gathered using a validated questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS:
Most participants (99.5%) were aware of the outbreak in Sudan, and 76.4% practiced the desired behaviors. However, only 52.5% had good knowledge, and a concerning 64.8% held negative attitudes towards cholera prevention and treatment. The results showed a discrepancy between disease awareness levels and the lower levels of participants’ knowledge and attitude towards cholera prevention and treatment. This is concurrent with previous literature, where studies from regions facing conflicts or other humanitarian challenges showed similar results.

CONCLUSIONS:
Despite awareness of the ongoing outbreak and having desirable practices, the level of knowledge was subpar, and attitudes were alarmingly low. These findings raise the need for urgent intervention to supplement knowledge and attitudes regarding the prevention and treatment of cholera.