Department of Biomedical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2024 Sep 20;18(9):e0012483. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012483. eCollection 2024 Sep.
Soil-transmitted helminthes (STH) infections are one of the most common neglected tropical diseases. It has become one of a significant public health problem programmatically aimed for prevention and control in Ethiopia. Limited evidence is available on communities' knowledge, perceptions, and practices regarding STH particularly in rural settings of Jimma, Ethiopia.
A community-based cross-sectional study triangulated with the qualitative method was conducted. The survey included 732 sampled rural households. Linear regression was used to assess association between predictors of knowledge and preventive practices of STH; likewise logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of hand washing practice at critical times. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were done to test differences in median risk perception score by socio-demographic factors. Qualitative data were collected through 7 key informant interviews, 6 focus group discussions and 7 expert group discussions then transcribed verbatim. Then, the data were coded, categorized and thematized using the Atlas ti.7.1.4 software package.
Almost all of the respondents (99.6%) had heard of STH. The prevalence of comprehensive knowledge, risk perception and preventive practices towards STH were 46.7%:(95%CI:43.2, 50.4), 55.2%: (95%CI:51.2,59) and 44.4%:(95%CI:40.8, 48.2) respectively. Likewise, the magnitude of knowledge and practice of hand washing at critical times were 42.5%: (95%CI: 38.7,45.9) and 43.9%: (95%CI: 40, 47.5) respectively. Risk perception and comprehensive knowledge towards STH varied significantly across districts and by respondents' educational status. Ownership of improved latrine was associated to comprehensive knowledge of STH. The STH preventive practice that varied across districts was predicted by the overall and knowledge specific to washing hands at critical times. The practice of washing hands at critical times was significantly associated to knowledge of hand washing, owning improved latrine, and age from 15 to 34 year compared to >45 year. Moreover, qualitative findings were supportive of the findings.
Despite reported exposures to STH communication opportunities, the study found modest levels of knowledge, perceptions, and preventive practices related to STH among rural communities where the burden of STH was the programmatic concern. These levels of knowledge, perceptions, and practices varied across the districts. Educational and latrine status predicted overall knowledge, whereas knowledge specific to hand washing and overall knowledge were predictors of STH preventive practice. Furthermore, washing hands during critical times was moderately improved among the young-aged, ownership of improved latrine and knowledgeable on hand washing. This study underscores the need for locally tailored and contextualized community behavioral change interventions needs to be strengthened toward improved STH preventive practices.
土壤传播的蠕虫（STH）感染是最常见的被忽视的热带病之一。它已成为埃塞俄比亚有计划预防和控制的一个重大公共卫生问题。关于 STH，特别是在埃塞俄比亚的吉姆马农村地区，社区的知识、看法和做法的有限证据是可用的。
进行了一项基于社区的横断面研究，并与定性方法相结合。该调查包括 732 个抽样农村家庭。线性回归用于评估知识和 STH 预防措施的预测因素之间的关联；同样，逻辑回归用于确定关键时间洗手习惯的预测因素。克鲁斯卡尔-沃利斯和曼-惠特尼检验用于测试社会人口因素对风险感知评分中位数的差异。通过 7 次关键知情人访谈、6 次焦点小组讨论和 7 次专家组讨论收集定性数据，然后逐字转录。然后，使用 Atlas ti.7.1.4 软件包对数据进行编码、分类和主题化。
几乎所有受访者（99.6%）都听说过 STH。全面了解 STH 的知识、风险感知和预防措施的流行率分别为 46.7%：（95%CI：43.2，50.4）、55.2%：（95%CI：51.2，59）和 44.4%：（95%CI：40.8，48.2）。同样，关键时间洗手的知识和实践的程度分别为 42.5%：（95%CI：38.7，45.9）和 43.9%：（95%CI：40，47.5）。风险感知和对 STH 的全面了解在不同地区和受访者的教育程度上存在显著差异。拥有改良的厕所与 STH 的全面知识有关。不同地区的 STH 预防措施与关键时间洗手的总体知识和知识特异性有关。关键时间洗手的做法与洗手知识、拥有改良厕所以及 15 至 34 岁的年龄有关，而与 45 岁以上的年龄无关。此外，定性研究结果支持了这一发现。
尽管报告了 STH 传播的机会，但在受 STH 负担影响的农村社区中，研究发现与 STH 相关的知识、看法和预防措施水平适中。这些知识、看法和做法在不同地区有所不同。教育和厕所状况预测了整体知识，而特定于洗手的知识和整体知识是 STH 预防措施的预测因素。此外，在年轻人群中，洗手的时间在关键时间适度改善，拥有改良的厕所和洗手知识。本研究强调需要加强针对当地情况和背景的社区行为改变干预措施，以改善 STH 的预防措施。
