Reducing Prejudice against Children with Tungiasis: A Qualitative Study from Kenya on How a School Intervention May Raise Awareness and Change Attitudes towards Neglected Diseases

Åse Walle Mørkve () and Mai Camilla Munkejord
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Åse Walle Mørkve: Department of Intercultural Studies, NLA University College, 5036 Bergen, Norway
Mai Camilla Munkejord: Department of Intercultural Studies, NLA University College, 5036 Bergen, Norway

Societies, 2023, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-10

Abstract: Tungiasis/jiggers, which is caused by the sand flea, tunga penetrans, is a ferocious but neglected disease that affects millions of people in more than 80 low-income countries. If left untreated, jiggers may not only cause pain and secondary infection, but also lead to disabilities, including difficulties grasping and walking, concentration problems, sleep disturbance, skin issues and, among children, exclusion from school due to stigma and prejudice. This study aims to shed light on how a sensitising school intervention may increase awareness and improve attitudes towards jiggers among non-affected pupils. The intervention included 11 h of teaching, involving 75 pupils. In addition to teaching and observation, a pretest and a posttest were conducted. The thematic analysis of the pretest statements resulted in the following themes: “Those affected by jiggers lack knowledge”, “Those affected by jiggers lack proper hygiene” and “Those affected by jiggers should be isolated from society”. Moreover, thematic analysis of the posttest statements resulted in the following themes: “Increased knowledge: ‘Now, I can even educate people about jiggers!’” and “Increased compassion: ‘I feel bad about those people’”. To foster a more inclusive school environment, including for children with disabilities due to jiggers, research on the long-term effects of similar school interventions is recommended.

Keywords: school intervention; stigma; prejudice; inclusive education; jiggers; tungiasis; tunga penetrans; low-income countries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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