Awareness Status of Schistosomiasis among School-Aged Students in Two Schools on Pemba Island, Zanzibar: A Cross-Sectional Study

Yiyun Liu, Wenjun Hu, Juma Saleh, Yuyan Wang, Qingkai Xue, Hongchu Wu, Kun Yang () and Yuzheng Huang ()
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Yiyun Liu: School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
Wenjun Hu: National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China
Juma Saleh: Neglected Diseases Program, Ministry of Health, Zanzibar 999132, Tanzania
Yuyan Wang: School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
Qingkai Xue: National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China
Hongchu Wu: National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi 214064, China
Kun Yang: School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
Yuzheng Huang: School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-12

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.

Keywords: knowledge; attitude and practice; schistosomiasis; Zanzibar (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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