Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya.
INTRODUCTION: Intestinal schistosomiasis is widely distributed around Lake Victoria in Kenya where about 16 million people in 56 districts are at risk of the infection with over 9.1 million infected. Its existence in rural settings has been extensively studied compared to urban settings where there...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:d2cdc05f9afc48ff9c7883492615d96d 2023-05-15T15:14:55+02:00 Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya. Gladys O Odhiambo Rosemary M Musuva Vincent O Atuncha Elizabeth T Mutete Maurice R Odiere Rosebella O Onyango Jane A Alaii Pauline N M Mwinzi 2014-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002784 https://doaj.org/article/d2cdc05f9afc48ff9c7883492615d96d EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3974654?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2727 https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2735 1935-2727 1935-2735 doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002784 https://doaj.org/article/d2cdc05f9afc48ff9c7883492615d96d PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 8, Iss 4, p e2784 (2014) Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002784 2022-12-30T22:27:34Z INTRODUCTION: Intestinal schistosomiasis is widely distributed around Lake Victoria in Kenya where about 16 million people in 56 districts are at risk of the infection with over 9.1 million infected. Its existence in rural settings has been extensively studied compared to urban settings where there is limited information about the disease coupled with low level of awareness. This study therefore assessed community awareness on existence, signs and symptoms, causes, transmission, control and risk factors for contracting schistosomiasis as well as attitudes, health seeking behaviour and environmental antecedents that affect its control so as to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to strengthen schistosomiasis control interventions in informal urban settings. METHODS: The study was carried out in an informal urban settlement where the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was previously reported to be the highest (36%) among the eight informal settlements of Kisumu city. The study adopted cross-sectional design and purposive sampling technique. Eight focus group discussions were conducted with adult community members and eight key informant interviews with opinion leaders. Data was audio recorded transcribed, coded and thematically analyzed using ATLAS.ti version 6 software. RESULTS: Most respondents stated having heard about schistosomiasis but very few had the correct knowledge of signs and symptoms, causes, transmission and control of schistosomiasis. However, there was moderate knowledge of risk factors and at high risk groups. Their attitudes towards schistosomiasis and its control were generally indifferent with a general belief that they had no control over their environmental circumstances to reduce transmission. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Although schistosomiasis was prevalent in the study area, majority of the people in the community had low awareness. This study, therefore, stresses the need for health education to raise community's awareness on schistosomiasis in such settings in ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 8 4 e2784 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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English |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Gladys O Odhiambo Rosemary M Musuva Vincent O Atuncha Elizabeth T Mutete Maurice R Odiere Rosebella O Onyango Jane A Alaii Pauline N M Mwinzi Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya. |
topic_facet |
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
description |
INTRODUCTION: Intestinal schistosomiasis is widely distributed around Lake Victoria in Kenya where about 16 million people in 56 districts are at risk of the infection with over 9.1 million infected. Its existence in rural settings has been extensively studied compared to urban settings where there is limited information about the disease coupled with low level of awareness. This study therefore assessed community awareness on existence, signs and symptoms, causes, transmission, control and risk factors for contracting schistosomiasis as well as attitudes, health seeking behaviour and environmental antecedents that affect its control so as to identify knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in order to strengthen schistosomiasis control interventions in informal urban settings. METHODS: The study was carried out in an informal urban settlement where the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was previously reported to be the highest (36%) among the eight informal settlements of Kisumu city. The study adopted cross-sectional design and purposive sampling technique. Eight focus group discussions were conducted with adult community members and eight key informant interviews with opinion leaders. Data was audio recorded transcribed, coded and thematically analyzed using ATLAS.ti version 6 software. RESULTS: Most respondents stated having heard about schistosomiasis but very few had the correct knowledge of signs and symptoms, causes, transmission and control of schistosomiasis. However, there was moderate knowledge of risk factors and at high risk groups. Their attitudes towards schistosomiasis and its control were generally indifferent with a general belief that they had no control over their environmental circumstances to reduce transmission. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Although schistosomiasis was prevalent in the study area, majority of the people in the community had low awareness. This study, therefore, stresses the need for health education to raise community's awareness on schistosomiasis in such settings in ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gladys O Odhiambo Rosemary M Musuva Vincent O Atuncha Elizabeth T Mutete Maurice R Odiere Rosebella O Onyango Jane A Alaii Pauline N M Mwinzi |
author_facet |
Gladys O Odhiambo Rosemary M Musuva Vincent O Atuncha Elizabeth T Mutete Maurice R Odiere Rosebella O Onyango Jane A Alaii Pauline N M Mwinzi |
author_sort |
Gladys O Odhiambo |
title |
Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya. |
title_short |
Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya. |
title_full |
Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya. |
title_fullStr |
Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in Nyalenda informal settlement, Kisumu city, western Kenya. |
title_sort |
low levels of awareness despite high prevalence of schistosomiasis among communities in nyalenda informal settlement, kisumu city, western kenya. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002784 https://doaj.org/article/d2cdc05f9afc48ff9c7883492615d96d |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 8, Iss 4, p e2784 (2014) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3974654?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2727 https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2735 1935-2727 1935-2735 doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002784 https://doaj.org/article/d2cdc05f9afc48ff9c7883492615d96d |
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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0002784 |
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PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
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4 |
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e2784 |
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