Community Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Schistosomiasis in Western Kenya-The SCORE Project

Abstract

Abstract. In an effort to improve intervention strategies, community knowledge, attitudes, and practices on schistosomiasis were evaluated using focus group discussions involving 237 participants, in eight Schistosoma mansoni high prevalence districts in rural Nyanza Province, Kenya. The majority of participants reported having heard about schistosomiasis through schools, posters, radio announcements, and community gatherings. Participants had a variety of beliefs about contracting schistosomiasis, including associating it with dirty drinking water and uncooked or contaminated food. Avenues for seeking treatment included health centers, spiritual intervention, herbal treatments, and medicine shops, with health centers receiving the most mention. Barriers to schistosomiasis control included attitudes of community members toward the infection, especially misconceptions that lead to stigma and the perception that diagnosis and treatment are expensive. Schools were the most common avenue for receiving information, suggesting that the existing education infrastructure can be used for health education and improved sensitization about schistosomiasis control programs.

HEALTH EDUCATION AND THE CONTROL OF UROGENITAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THEJUMA NA KICHOCHOCOMIC-STRIP MEDICAL BOOKLET IN ZANZIBAR

“…In communities afflicted by schistosomiasis, there are often low levels of awareness (Stothard et al, 2002b, c;Mwanga et al, 2004) and misconceptions abound across social groups. For example, perceptions of the disease often vary by gender (Parker, 1993;Kloos, 1995;Gazzinelli et al, 2006); and this is evident in places such as Sudan (Parker, 1995), Kenya (Musuva et al, 2014), mainland Tanzania (Mwakitalu et al, 2014) and also on Unguja. Recent surveys undertaken by the Zanzibar Elimination of Schistosome Transmission Project, for example, suggest that many still think that kichocho is a boy's rather than a girl's disease (Knopp et al, 2013a;Person et al, 2016).…”

Association Between Causal Beliefs and Shoe Wearing to Prevent Podoconiosis: A Baseline Study

“…[3][4][5] Research in LMICs has shown that even when interventions and therapies are accessible, some populations do not effectively implement these strategies, in part due to their misunderstanding of disease causes.…”

Water-based interventions for schistosomiasis control

“…Misunderstanding about an intervention or failure to see how it is of benefit to an individual leads to low participation while agreement with the goals and methods increases involvement. 21,22,37,48,69 Thus, a critical but frequently overlooked aspect of control and elimination programs is community engagement and health education prior to initiation of the intervention. Because there are three major species of schistosomiasis with different transmission features, and sometimes S. mansoni and S. haematobium may overlap, it is not possible to design a 'one size fits all' plan for elimination, especially when water usage is involved.…”

“…Health education, especially through schools, and establishment of alternative locations for washing or swimming are additional ways to decrease contact with infectious water. [20][21][22][23] Here again, careful thought that includes consideration of sociologic factors is important in the design of any intervention as effecting changes in behaviors is much more challenging than simply performing MDA or installing new facilities. For example, during the Rockefeller Foundationsupported schistosomiasis control studies in Saint Lucia, researchers found that despite provision of household water supplies, women still preferred to do their laundry at the river because it provided the opportunity for social interactions.…”