Knowledge, attitude, and practices on intestinal schistosomiasis among primary schoolchildren in the Lake Victoria basin, Rorya District, north-western Tanzania

Munisi, David Zadock; Buza, Joram; Mpolya, Emmanuel; Angelo, Teckla; Kinung’hi, Safari

doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4767-9

Cited by 25 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…All the 239 (100%) respondents reported that they had heard about malaria, 89.1% had heard about schistosomiasis while 87.4% had heard about STH. This is in tandem with other studies which have been done in Africa and have shown that knowledge about schistosomiasis as well as malaria and STH is very high 39,40 , but contradicts a study by Adoka and others along the shores of lake Victoria which found knowledge about schistosomiasis to be low 41 . This high knowledge is key to improvement of the health of the inhabitants of this island.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Evaluating community’s knowledge on integrated malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in a Lake Victoria island, Kenya: A mixed method approach

Gitaka¹,

Mwaura²,

Oware³

et al. 2019

Open Res Africa

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Background: The burden of malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminthes (STH) in the islands of Lake Victoria, Kenya, poses a considerable public health challenge. Although many studies have been conducted on the co-infection arising from these parasites, few have evaluated communities’ knowledge of the same. Increasing the level of knowledge about a disease or preventive chemotherapy is important, but efforts need to be focused on community perception and understanding of the problem so as to encourage engagement with the proposed control measures. This study aimed at understanding a community’s knowledge of malaria, schistosomiasis and STH in Lake Victoria island where an integrated preventive chemotherapy intervention was implemented. Methods: This study was conducted in Ngodhe Island in Lake Victoria in Homa Bay County, western Kenya region between April and May 2016. The study adopted a mixed method approach where both qualitative and quantitative data collection was performed concurrently. Results: A total of 239 people participated in this study. All the respondents reported that they had heard about malaria, 89.1% had heard about schistosomiasis while 87.4% had heard about STH. The majority of the respondents (93.3%) drew their drinking water directly from the lake and 80.3% reported bathing in the lake. Out of all the respondents, 96.2% knew about the ongoing preventive chemotherapy. Most respondents (94.1%) said they would participate in a preventive chemotherapy again, while 0.4% was not sure. The majority of the respondents (86.6%) reported that integrated strategy is the most effective approach to control the three infections in the Island. Conclusion: The findings show a very high knowledge about these diseases. Although this study found majority of the respondents are aware of the co-infection of malaria, schistosomiasis and STH, their behaviors such as bathing in the lake exacerbates the problem.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Evaluating community’s knowledge on integrated malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in a Lake Victoria island, Kenya: A mixed method approach

Gitaka¹,

Mwaura²,

Oware³

et al. 2019

Open Res Africa

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“…Accordingly, skipping such important preventive chemotherapy in the area of high transmission for schistosomiasis may have a negative impact on the prevalence and intensity of the disease. Other factors that might have contributed to the observed high prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis infection as reported by previous studies include close proximity of the school/village to the Lake [20,31], lack of clean and safe water supply [32], poor sanitation and hygiene [33], and low knowledge about mode of transmission and prevention of the disease [34,35]. Since the https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228770.g003 study area has the history of receiving repeated mass praziquantel treatment, poor efficacy of praziquantel to the immature (juvenile) stage of the parasite may be another reason to explain the continued and reported high prevalence of the disease around the study area [36].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Prevalence and correlates of intestinal schistosomiasis infection among school-aged children in North-Western Tanzania

et al. 2020

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Background Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that continues to cause morbidity and mortality in Sub Saharan Africa. Due to its endemicity, co-infection with malaria is common. The diseases cause anaemia and impaired nutritional status among children. We investigated the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis and its association with malaria, anaemia and nutritional status among school children. Methods This was a cross sectional survey among 830 children in Nyamikoma village along Lake Victoria in Tanzania. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data, history of drug use, and clinical data. Two faecal samples were collected on two consecutive days and analyzed using thick smears Kato Katz method. Diagnosis of malaria was done by malaria rapid diagnostic test, and haemoglobin concentration was determined using Hemo-Cue. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric measurements. Results The overall prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was 90.6% (95% CI = 88.6%-92.6%). Intensity of infection was light 24.1% (200/830), moderate 38.4% (319/830) and heavy 28.1% (233/830). Pre-adolescents (�12 years) were more infected with intestinal schistosomiasis (93.2%) than adolescents (>12 years) (84.7%) (p < 0.001). Prevalence of malaria was 1.7% (14/824), and that of intestinal schistosomiasis-malaria co-infection was 1.6% (13/824). The overall prevalence of anaemia was 24.6% (95%CI = 18.7%-30.5%). Severe anaemia was found in 2.3% (19/824) of study participants. The prevalence of stunting and wasting were 29.0% and 11.3%, respectively. On both univariate and multivariate regression analysis, only lower age was significantly associated intestinal schistosomiasis

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“…() The study showed that the schistosomiasis cognitive level among local students is still very low, which is similar to or even lower than previous studies in Tanzania, Cameroon, Senegal, Kenya and other countries. [24][25][26][27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effectiveness of schistosomiasis health education session in primary and secondary schools in Pemba Island, Zanzibar

Juma³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Background: Schistosomiasis seriously endangers the health of African people, hinders local economic and social development, and becomes a serious local public health problem. However, in addition to preventive chemotherapy, other social, environmental and health promotion measures are progressing slowly, lack of sanitation, treated water, and systematic health education, the people are still at risk of infection. In 2011, a survey of 24 school in Zanzibar showed that the average infection rate of Schistosoma haematobium was 8% (0-38%) in Unguja, and was 15% (1-43%) in Pemba. Methods: According to the shape of the island, the island is divided into three regions: the south, the middle, and the north. A Shehia in the southern, central and northern parts of Pemba Island was randomly selected respectively, the schistosomiasis health education session was conducted in primary and secondary schools of the selected Shehias. The students were randomly selected for schistosomiasis cognitive level test by designed questionnaire including 8 knowledge questions and 4 behavior questions before and after health education, through a chi-square test of the awareness rate and the correct behavior rate of schistosomiasis before and after the health education, the effect of health education session was evaluated. Result: A total 712 students were sampled before and after the health education in 8 schools. Before the health education session, the awareness rates of schistosomiasis were 64.62% and 68.75% among primary and secondary school respectively. After the session, the awareness rates increased to 79.74% and 84.70% respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=179.3, P<0.0001). Before the sessions, the correct behavior rates were 63.96% and 54.79% among boys and girls. After the sessions, the correct behavior rates increased to 82.83% and 76.58%, and the difference was also statistically significant (χ2=143.8, P<0.0001). Conclusion: The awareness rate and correct behavior rate of schistosomiasis were low in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, hence the schistosomiasis health education needs to be strengthened. The schistosomiasis health education session has an obvious effect on the improvement of cognitive level of schistosomiasis among local students. This method can be promoted and implemented in local schools with the effort of local health and education departments.

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Knowledge, attitude, and practices on intestinal schistosomiasis among primary schoolchildren in the Lake Victoria basin, Rorya District, north-western Tanzania

Cited by 25 publications

References 22 publications

Evaluating community’s knowledge on integrated malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in a Lake Victoria island, Kenya: A mixed method approach

Evaluating community’s knowledge on integrated malaria, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminth (STH) infections in a Lake Victoria island, Kenya: A mixed method approach

Prevalence and correlates of intestinal schistosomiasis infection among school-aged children in North-Western Tanzania

The effectiveness of schistosomiasis health education session in primary and secondary schools in Pemba Island, Zanzibar

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