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dc.contributor.authorAnyolitho, Maxson Kenneth
dc.contributor.authorNyakato, Viola Nilah
dc.contributor.authorHuyse, Tine
dc.contributor.authorPoels, Karolien
dc.contributor.authorMasquillier, Caroline
dc.date.accessioned2023-10-17T09:28:22Z
dc.date.available2023-10-17T09:28:22Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.identifier.citationAnyolitho, M. K., Nyakato, V. N., Huyse, T., Poels, K., & Masquillier, C. (2023). Health-seeking behaviour regarding schistosomiasis treatment in the absence of a mass drug administration (MDA) program: the case of endemic communities along Lake Albert in Western Uganda. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 1-15.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir.must.ac.ug/xmlui/handle/123456789/3178
dc.description.abstractIntroduction: Schistosomiasis poses a serious public health problem and a social challenge affecting over 240 million people, the majority of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends praziquantel (PZQ) drug treatment through regular mass drug administration (MDA) accompanied by social mobilisation and health education and sensitisation. With social mobilisation and health education and sensitisation, there is bound to be increased demand for the PZQ, especially in the case of endemic communities. However, it is not clear where communities go for PZQ treatment in the absence of PZQ MDA. We explored the health-seeking behaviours regarding schistosomiasis treatment among communities along Lake Albert in Western Uganda when MDA had delayed, to inform a review of the implementation policy for the achievement of the WHO’s 2030 target of 75% coverage and uptake. Methods and materials: We conducted a community-based qualitative study in Kagadi and Ntoroko, an endemic community in January and February 2020. We interviewed 12 individuals: local leaders, village health teams, and health workers, and conducted 28 focus group discussion sessions with 251 purposively selected community members. The audio recordings of the data were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis model. Results: Generally, participants seldom seek medication for schistosomiasis-related signs and symptoms from government hospitals and health centres II, III and IV. Instead, they rely on community volunteers such as VHTs, private facilities, such as clinics and drug shops nearby, or traditional sources (e.g. witch doctors and herbalists). Results show that factors influencing people to seek treatment from sources other than the government are: the absence of PZQ drugs in the government health facility; health workers’ negative attitude towards patients; long distances to the government hospitals and health facilities; poor and inaccessible roads; medication-related costs; and negative perceptions of the PZQ drug.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipAction Towards Reducing Aquatic Snail- Borne Parasitic Diseases (ATRAP) project of the Belgian Development Cooperation program dd. 01.04.2014 of the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA) with support of the directorate-general of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherBMC Public Healthen_US
dc.subjectHealth-seeking behaviouren_US
dc.subjectMass drug administrationen_US
dc.subjectEndemicen_US
dc.subjectCommunitiesen_US
dc.subjectLake Alberten_US
dc.subjectPraziquantelen_US
dc.subjectSchistosomiasisen_US
dc.subjectUgandaen_US
dc.titleHealth-seeking behaviour regarding schistosomiasis treatment in the absence of a mass drug administration (MDA) program: the case of endemic communities along Lake Albert in Western Ugandaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US


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