Awareness Status of Schistosomiasis among School-Aged Students in Two Schools on Pemba Island, Zanzibar: A Cross-Sectional Study
-
Published:2022-12-29
Issue:1
Volume:20
Page:582
-
ISSN:1660-4601
-
Container-title:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:IJERPH
Author:
Liu Yiyun,
Hu Wenjun,
Saleh Juma,
Wang Yuyan,
Xue Qingkai,
Wu Hongchu,
Yang KunORCID,
Huang Yuzheng
Abstract
Schistosomiasis elimination has been set as a target in the Neglected Tropical Disease Roadmap of 2021 to 2030. The present study assessed the level of understanding, awareness and behaviors of schistosomiasis among students in Zanzibar and explored the influencing factors as the basis for reliable suggestions for the follow-up policy on schistosomiasis prevention and control. A Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey on students’ perceptions of schistosomiasis was conducted on students from grades 4–9 at two selected schools on Pemba, Zanzibar, from May through September in 2021. A total of 217 valid participants responded to the questionnaires. T-test and chi-squared tests were used to examine the association between the dependent and explanatory variables. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze the influencing factors of KAP. The findings indicated a lack of knowledge about schistosomiasis among the participants. Although respondents were aware of the risks of infection, they continued to engage in high-risk activities. Age, family size and presence of hematuria were found as contributing factors. Elder students performed better on knowledge (p = 0.02) and attitude (p < 0.01) scores, and students with a smaller family received higher attitude scores (p = 0.04). Practice was significantly correlated with gender (p < 0.01) and hematuria (p < 0.01). Several kinds of health education should be adopted to raise students’ basic knowledge of schistosomiasis. It is also critical to make the community aware regarding schistosomiasis. Future efforts for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis should employ an integrated strategy combining communities with schools to encourage behavioral change.
Funder
Key Project of Jiangsu Health research
Department of Science and Technology of Jiangsu Province
Natural Science Foundation of China
Public Health Research Center of Jiangnan University
Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology
Subject
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Reference27 articles.
1. WHO (2021). Ending the Neglect to Attain the Sustainable Development Goals: A Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021–2030.
2. Schistosomiasis;McManus;Nat. Rev. Dis. Prim.,2018
3. Knopp, S., Mohammed, K.A., Ali, S.M., Khamis, I.S., Ame, S.M., Albonico, M., Gouvras, A., Fenwick, A., Savioli, L., and Colley, D.G. (2012). Study and implementation of urogenital schistosomiasis elimination in Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba islands) using an integrated multidisciplinary approach. BMC Public Health, 12.
4. China-Zanzibar Cooperation Project of Schistosomiasis Control: Study Design;Yang;Sino-African Cooperation for Schistosomiasis Control in Zanzibar,2021
5. A Package of Health Education Materials: Effectiveness for Schistosomiasis Control in Zanzibar;Mehlhorn;Sino-African Cooperation for Schistosomiasis Control in Zanzibar,2021