03266nas a2200457   4500000000100000008004100001653001600042653003100058653002100089653001600110653000900126653002400135653001100159653001400170653001800184653004200202653001700244653001800261653001800279653001200297653002200309653000900331653001600340653001000356653001500366100001200381700001100393700001400404700001700418700001300435700001600448700001300464700001300477700001500490245012500505856009000630300000900720490000600729520205900735022001402794       2010                            d10aYoung Adult10aSurveys and Questionnaires10aRural Population10aMiddle Aged10aMale10aInterviews as Topic10aHumans10aHelminths10aHelminthiasis10aHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice10aFocus Groups10aFamily Health10aCote d'Ivoire10aAnimals10aAged, 80 and over10aAged10aAge Factors10aAdult10aAdolescent1 aAcka CA1 aRaso G1 aN'Goran E1 aTschannen AB1 aBogoch I1 aSéraphin E1 aTanner M1 aObrist B1 aUtzinger J00aParasitic worms: knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Western Côte d'Ivoire with implications for integrated control.  uhttp://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/asset?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0000910.PDF  ae9100 v43 a<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>In the developing world where parasitic worm infections are pervasive, preventive chemotherapy is the key strategy for morbidity control. However, local knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of parasitic worms are poorly understood, although such information is required for prevention and sustainable control.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We carried out KAP surveys in two rural communities of Côte d'Ivoire that were subjected to school-based and community-based research and control activities. We used qualitative and quantitative methods. The former included observations, in-depth interviews with key informants, and focus group discussions with school children and adults. Quantitative methods consisted of a structured questionnaire administered to household heads.</p>

<p><strong>PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: </strong>Access to clean water was lacking in both communities and only a quarter of the households had functioning latrines. There was a better understanding of soil-transmitted helminthiasis than intestinal schistosomiasis, but community-based rather than school-based interventions appeared to improve knowledge of schistosomiasis. In the villages with community-based interventions, three-quarters of household interviewees knew about intestinal schistosomiasis compared to 14% in the village where school-based interventions were implemented (P&lt;0.001). Whereas two-thirds of respondents from the community-based intervention village indicated that the research and control project was the main source of information, only a quarter of the respondents cited the project as the main source.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: </strong>Preventive chemotherapy targeting school-aged children has limitations, as older population segments are neglected, and hence lack knowledge about how to prevent and control parasitic worm infections. Improved access to clean water and sanitation is necessary, along with health education to make a durable impact against helminth infections.</p>
  a1935-2735