Socio-Demographic Factors Influencing Knowledge, Attitude, and Reported Practices Regarding Taenia Solium Cysticercosis Taeniasis in Tanzania

Abstract

Taenia solium Cysticercosis/Taeniasis (TSCT) is a neglected zoonotic disease with significant public health and socio-economic impacts. TSCT is endemic in areas with low socio-economic development. This study examined the influence of socio-demographic factors on community knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding TSCT control in Mbulu, Mpwapwa, Mbinga, and Rungwe districts of Tanzania. The study employed a cross-sectional design, and. data were collected using a questionnaire, which was administered to 483 randomly selected households in the study districts. In addition, qualitative data were collected using key informant interviews (KIIs) from 38 purposively selected respondents and 12 focus group discussions (FGDs). Quantitative data were analysed in SAS 9.4 using binary logistic regression with education, location, gender, age, occupation, source of income, the duration of residence (years), savings and credits cooperative society (SACCOS) membership, and household size included in the model as predictors of knowledge, attitude, and/or practices related to TSCT control. The qualitative data were analysed in ATLAS.ti 8. Findings show that respondents with post-primary education were more likely to have heard of tapeworm (P = 0.0071), be aware of T. solium transmission (P = 0.0396), aware of T. solium health effects (P = 0.0212), and be be knowledgeable on human cysticercosis (HCC) health effect (P = 0.003) compared to respondents with no formal education. With regard to practices, respondents from Mpwapwa district were more likely to report washing their hands with soap before eating (P = <0.0001). It is, therefore, recommended that strategies involving health education intervention should consider the inclusion of socio-demographic, cultural, economic, and location factors for effective and sustainable control of the parasite