Knowledge, perceptions and practices regarding schistosomiasis among women living in a highly endemic rural district in Zimbabwe: implications on infections among preschool-aged children.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Mutsaka-Makuvaza MJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6757404 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Knowledge, perceptions and practices regarding schistosomiasis among women living in a highly endemic rural district in Zimbabwe: implications on infections among preschool-aged children.
Mutsaka-Makuvaza Masceline Jenipher MJ Matsena-Zingoni Zvifadzo Z Tshuma Cremance C Katsidzira Agnes A Webster Bonnie B Zhou Xiao-Nong XN Midzi Nicholas N
Parasites & vectors 20190923 1
<h4>Background</h4>Schistosomiasis primarily affects poor and neglected communities due to their lack of safe water and sanitation facilities. In an effort to improve intervention strategies, the present study investigated the association of socio-demographic characteristics of women with their existing knowledge, perceptions and practices (KPP) in five urogenital schistosomiasis endemic rural communities in Zimbabwe.<h4>Methods</h4>In February 2016, a cross sectional study was conducted in whic ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundIn an effort to complement the current chemotherapy based schistosomiasis control interventions in Shinyanga district, community knowledge, perceptions and water contact practices were qualitatively assessed using focus group discussions and semi structured interviews involving 271 participants in one S. haematobium prevalent community of Ikingwamanoti village, Shinyanga district, Northwestern, Tanzania.MethodsIn October, 2016 we conducted 29 parent semi structured interviews and 16 focus group discussions with a total of 168 parent informants. Adult participants were conveniently selected from three sub-villages of Butini, Miyu, and Bomani of Ikingwamanoti village, Shinyanga district. In March, 2017, a total of 103 children informants participated in 10 focus group discussions and 20 semi structured interviews, administered to children from standard four, five, six and seven attending Ikingwamanoti Primary School. Note taking and digital recorders were used to collect narrative data for thematic analysis of emergent themes.ResultsAmong participants, 75% parents and 50% children considered urinary schistosomiasis as a low priority health problem. Of the informants, 70% children and 48.3% parents had misconceptions about the cause, modes of transmission and control of schistosomiasis demonstrating gaps in their biomedical knowledge of the disease. Assessment of treatment seeking behavior for urinary schistosomiasis revealed a combination of traditional and modern health care sectors. However, modern medicines were considered effective in the treatment of urinary schistosomiasis. Lack of alternative sources of water for domestic and recreational activities and unhygienic water use habits exposed community members to high risk of acquiring urinary schistosomiasis.ConclusionUse of Schistosoma haematobium contaminated water sources for daily domestic and recreational use facilitated contraction of urinary schistosomiasis among community members in Shinyanga district. People's perceptions of urinary schistosomiasis as a less priority health problem promoted persistence of the disease. Future efforts to control urinary schistosomiasis should take into account integrated approaches combining water, sanitation and hygiene, health education, alternative sources of clean and safe water to facilitate behavior change.
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