Makingi George, Ngowi Bernard, Mkupasi Ernatus, Wilson Christina, Winkler Andrea Sylvia, Nzalawahe Jahashi, Ngowi Helena
The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3021, Tanzania.
Muhimbili Medical Research Centre, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam P.O. Box 3436, Tanzania.
Pathogens. 2023 Jul 20;12(7):955. doi: 10.3390/pathogens12070955.
Poor knowledge of human taeniasis/cysticercosis and insufficient sanitary and hygienic practices have been associated with the persistence of human infections in endemic areas. Community health education intervention measures were implemented in 42 villages of Kongwa and Songwe Districts to increase knowledge, improve good practices against infection and reduce incidences of human cysticercosis transmission using a health education package. The health education package comprised of leaflet, poster and a booklet The 42 villages were allocated into intervention group and control group, and each group consisted of 21 villages. Baseline and post-intervention information on social demography, knowledge, safe practices and incidences of human cysticercosis was collected from both village groups. The impact of the intervention was evaluated by comparing changes in knowledge, preventive practices related to human infections and the cumulative incidence of human cysticercosis between intervention and control villages. There was no significant difference in mean knowledge scores and preventive practice mean scores between the control and intervention groups at baseline. However, there were significantly higher knowledge mean scores in the intervention group compared to the control group at one year post-intervention (2.06 ± 1.45 vs. 0.94 ± 1.18, < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the mean practice scores between the intervention and the control group at one year post-intervention (2.49 ± 1.13 vs. 2.40 ± 1.13, = 0.31). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of human cysticercosis between the intervention and the control group at the baseline (1.4% vs. 1.4%, = 0.97) by Ag-Elisa, and at one year post-intervention the cumulative incidence of human cysticercosis was 1.9 and 1.2 per cent in the control and intervention group, respectively. There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of human cysticercosis between the intervention and the control group at one year post-intervention ( > 0.05). Community health-education intervention is effective at improving the knowledge of human infections. The improvement in preventive practices and reduction in incidences of human cysticercosis are a gradual process, they may require sanitary and hygienic improvement and more time after the intervention to see improved changes. The study recommends a sustainable public health education on infections using the health education package through one health approach.
对人体绦虫病/囊尾蚴病的了解不足以及卫生和卫生习惯不充分，与流行地区人类感染的持续存在有关。在孔瓜和松韦地区的42个村庄实施了社区健康教育干预措施，以增加知识、改善预防感染的良好做法，并使用一套健康教育材料减少人体囊尾蚴病的传播发生率。该健康教育材料包括传单、海报和一本小册子。这42个村庄被分为干预组和对照组，每组由21个村庄组成。从两个村庄组收集了关于社会人口统计学、知识、安全做法和人体囊尾蚴病发病率的基线和干预后信息。通过比较干预村和对照村在知识、与人类感染相关的预防做法以及人体囊尾蚴病累积发病率方面的变化，评估了干预的影响。在基线时，对照组和干预组的平均知识得分和预防做法平均得分没有显著差异。然而，在干预后一年，干预组的知识平均得分显著高于对照组（2.06±1.45对0.94±1.18，<0.001）。在干预后一年，干预组和对照组的平均做法得分没有显著差异（2.49±1.13对2.40±1.13，=0.31）。此外，通过酶联免疫吸附试验（Ag-Elisa）在基线时干预组和对照组之间人体囊尾蚴病的患病率没有显著差异（1.4%对1.4%，=0.97），在干预后一年，对照组和干预组人体囊尾蚴病的累积发病率分别为1.9%和1.2%。在干预后一年，干预组和对照组之间人体囊尾蚴病的累积发病率没有显著差异（>0.05）。社区健康教育干预在提高对人类感染的认识方面是有效的。预防做法的改善和人体囊尾蚴病发病率的降低是一个渐进的过程，它们可能需要改善卫生和卫生条件，并在干预后更多时间才能看到改善的变化。该研究建议通过一种健康方法，使用该健康教育材料对感染进行可持续的公共卫生教育。
