Knowledge and perceptions of lymphatic filariasis patients in selected hotspot endemic communities in southern Ghana

Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a mosquito-borne neglected tropical disease that is one of the leading global causes of permanent disability. To date, LF interventions have been largely biomedical, focusing on drug treatments to disrupt parasite transmission and manage disease morbidity. Although important, these Mass Drug Administration (MDA) programs neglect the significance of socio-economic burden to the health of LF patients, which are compounded by social stigmatization, discrimination and associated depressive illnesses. The MDA program also typically fails to engage with local community beliefs and perceptions of LF, which may differ markedly from biomedical explanations and may have fueled non-compliance to treatments which is one of the major challenges of the Mass Drug Administration program. LF is not only a biomedical issue but also a social issue and LF interventions need to understand people’s world views and the contexts through which they interpret bodily maladies. Hence, an effective LF intervention must bring together both the biomedical and the social components. The goal of this exploratory study was to assist in refining a large qualitative study (currently underway) that seeks to integrate culturally appropriate LF interventions into current LF control programs in Ghana. In this paper, we discuss the findings of a pre-intervention, exploratory study aimed at gaining a baseline grasp of a local culturally informed understanding of lymphatic filariasis and the knowledge gaps looking at three endemic Ghanaian communities in the Ahanta West District. A structured questionnaire was employed to assess the wellbeing, social inclusion, and cultural understanding of LF with a geographic focus within LF-endemic areas in Ghana. Interestingly, 45.8% of the 72 participants reported to have received information about LF from health care providers and the MDA program but only 5 out of the 72 (6.9%) respondents believed that LF was transmitted by mosquitos. This baseline study revealed several alternative interpretations and misconceptions about the disease, as well as the social and economic impacts, and importantly, the need to integrate qualitative research to develop culturally appropriate interventions and increase engagement with existing control programs.