Department of Public Health, School of Healthcare Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0208, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct 27;18(21):11280. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111280.
Rat infestation is a major public health issue globally, and particularly in poor urban communities in South Africa. Rats pose significant threats to residents in the form of disease spread and sustained physical injuries. The dearth of knowledge about the experiences of affected residents may curtail the initiation of rat control programs. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of rat infestation among residents of Katlehong Township in Gauteng Province.
This was a qualitative research study where data were gathered from selected community participants from Katlehong Township in Gauteng Province. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data through in-depth interviews. The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, and thematic data analysis was conducted using NVivo12 data processing software. The data were presented in themes and quotations that reflect the views of the participants.
Exactly 20 community members aged between 18 and 56 years participated in the study, 80% being females. Over half of the participants were unemployed (60%), inclusive of students. Majority of the participants were either Zulu or Xhosa speakers. Several themes emerged from the data, which included the residents' experiences of rat infestation, troublesome rats, dirty rats, reasons for rat infestation, and sustained physical injuries. Participants intimated that waste in the environment and overcrowding in homes contributed to rodent infestation.
Rat infestation remains a problem that causes severe distress among the residents of Katlehong Township. The experiences reported varied from psychological trauma to bite injuries and destruction of household property. Effective rodent control strategies need to be put in place to manage both the physical and mental risks posed by rat infestation in socially underprivileged communities.
鼠患是一个全球性的主要公共卫生问题，尤其在南非贫穷的城市社区中更为严重。老鼠以疾病传播和持续的身体伤害的形式对居民构成重大威胁。由于对受影响居民的经验缺乏了解，可能会限制灭鼠计划的启动。本研究旨在探讨豪登省卡特洪镇居民的鼠患经历。
这是一项定性研究，数据来自豪登省卡特洪镇的选定社区参与者。使用半结构化访谈指南通过深入访谈收集数据。访谈以数字形式记录并逐字转录，并使用 NVivo12 数据处理软件进行主题数据分析。数据以主题和反映参与者观点的引文形式呈现。
共有 20 名年龄在 18 至 56 岁之间的社区成员参加了这项研究，其中 80%为女性。超过一半的参与者（60%）没有工作，包括学生。大多数参与者是祖鲁语或科萨语使用者。数据中出现了几个主题，包括居民的鼠患经历、麻烦的老鼠、肮脏的老鼠、鼠患的原因以及持续的身体伤害。参与者暗示，环境中的废物和家庭过度拥挤导致了啮齿动物的滋生。
鼠患仍然是卡特洪镇居民面临的一个严重问题，给他们带来了严重的困扰。报告的经历从心理创伤到咬伤和家庭财产破坏不等。需要制定有效的灭鼠策略，以管理社会弱势群体中由鼠患引起的身体和心理风险。
