Person Bobbie, Ali Said M, A'Kadir Faiza M, Ali Jamal N, Mohammed Ulfat A, Mohammed Khalfan A, Rollinson David, Knopp Stefanie
The Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation, University of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, Pemba, United Republic of Tanzania.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2016 Jul 11;10(7):e0004814. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004814. eCollection 2016 Jul.
On the Zanzibar islands, United Republic of Tanzania, elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis is strived for in the coming years. This qualitative study aimed to better understand community knowledge, perceptions, and practices associated with schistosomiasis among school-aged children on Unguja and Pemba islands, in order to inform the development of behavior change interventions contributing to eliminate urogenital schistosomiasis.
In 2011, we conducted 35 children's discussion groups, 41 in-depth interviews with parents and teachers, and 5 focus group discussions with community members in Zanzibar. Using a modified-grounded theory approach, we transcribed and coded the narrative data followed by thematic analysis of the emergent themes.
Urogenital schistosomiasis is a common experience among children in Zanzibar and typically considered a boys' disease. Children engage in multiple high-risk behaviors for acquiring schistosomiasis because of poor knowledge on disease transmission, lack of understanding on severity of disease-associated consequences, and lack of alternative options for water related activities of daily living and recreational play. Local primary school teachers had little to no training about the disease and no teaching tools or materials for students.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Conducting activities in open natural freshwater contaminated by S. haematobium larvae compromises the health of school-aged children in Zanzibar. The perception of urogenital schistosomiasis as a minor illness rather than a serious threat to a child's well-being contributes to the spread of disease. Understanding community perceptions of disease along with the barriers and facilitators to risk reduction behaviors among children can inform health promotion activities, campaigns, and programs for the prevention, control, and elimination of urogenital schistosomiasis in Zanzibar.
在坦桑尼亚联合共和国的桑给巴尔群岛，未来几年致力于消除泌尿生殖系统血吸虫病。这项定性研究旨在更好地了解奔巴岛和温古贾岛学龄儿童对血吸虫病的社区知识、认知和行为习惯，以便为制定有助于消除泌尿生殖系统血吸虫病的行为改变干预措施提供信息。
2011年，我们在桑给巴尔开展了35个儿童讨论小组、41次对家长和教师的深入访谈以及5次社区成员焦点小组讨论。采用改良的扎根理论方法，我们对叙述性数据进行转录和编码，随后对出现的主题进行专题分析。
泌尿生殖系统血吸虫病在桑给巴尔儿童中很常见，通常被认为是一种男性疾病。由于对疾病传播的知识匮乏、对疾病相关后果的严重性缺乏认识，以及日常生活和娱乐活动中与水相关的活动缺乏替代选择，儿童会进行多种感染血吸虫病的高风险行为。当地小学教师对该疾病几乎没有接受过培训，也没有给学生的教学工具或材料。
结论/意义：在被埃及血吸虫幼虫污染的露天天然淡水中开展活动会损害桑给巴尔学龄儿童的健康。将泌尿生殖系统血吸虫病视为一种小病而非对儿童健康的严重威胁的认知助长了疾病的传播。了解社区对疾病的认知以及儿童降低风险行为的障碍和促进因素，可以为桑给巴尔预防、控制和消除泌尿生殖系统血吸虫病的健康促进活动、运动和项目提供信息。
