Background
Urogenital schistosomiasis is an infectious disease of poverty. Epidemiological studies on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of vulnerable populations are pivotal to achieving effective local control of the disease. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the KAP indices among school-aged children in understudied communities of Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, Katsina State, Nigeria.
Methods
This cross-sectional study enrolled 2534 participants from ten schools. Questionnaire was used to obtain demographic information and KAP responses. Urine samples were collected in labelled plastic containers and examined for the eggs of Schistosoma haematobium following centrifugation. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and odds ratio analyses were performed using Epi Info software at a 95% confidence level ( P ≤ 0.05).
Results
The overall prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis was 5.8% (95% CI: 4.96–6.78), while the mean age of participants was 12.3 ± 3.6 years. Approximately 50.7% (1286) and 55.4% (1405) of the participants had knowledge of the indigenous name for blood in urine ( tsagiyya ) and Bulinus spp. ( dodonkodi ), respectively. The majority of participants answered “No” to questions regarding attitudes towards treatment (2390 [94.3%]) and praziquantel usage (2382 [94.0%]). Gender (χ² = 99.766; P = 0.0001), age (χ² = 85.083; P = 0.0001), and duration of residence (χ² = 94.843; P = 0.0001) were significantly associated with the prevalence of urogenital schistosomiasis. Self-reported blood in urine, knowledge of the indigenous name for blood in urine, painful urination, knowledge about Bulinus spp., and deliberate attempts to seek treatment were strongly associated with urogenital schistosomiasis, with adjusted odds ratios of 9.6 [AOR (95% CI): 9.6 (7.5–12.3)], 3.3 [AOR (95%CI):3.3(2.5–4.3)], 3.6 [AOR(95%CI):3.6 (2.8–4.6)], 3.7 [AOR(95%CI): 3.7 (2.2–6.2)], and 3.1 [AOR(95%CI):3.1(2.2–4.4)], respectively.
Conclusion
Despite its hypo-endemic status, urogenital schistosomiasis remains a disease of public health importance in Dutsin-Ma. The observed gaps in attitudes towards treatment and praziquantel usage underscore the need for integrated control strategies that combine health education, mass drug administration, and improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.
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