OBJECTIVE: To assess individual compliance with annual ivermectin treatment in onchocerciasis-endemic villages.
METHODS: Multi-site study in eight APOC-sponsored projects in Cameroon, Nigeria and Uganda to identify the socio-demographic correlates of compliance with ivermectin treatment. A structured questionnaire was administered on 2305 persons aged 10 years and above. Two categories of respondents were purposively selected to obtain both high and low compliers: people who took ivermectin 6-8 times and 0-2 times previously. Simple descriptive statistics were employed in characterizing the respondents into high and low compliers, while some socio-demographic and key perceptual factors were employed in regression models constructed to explain levels of compliance among the respondents.
RESULTS: Some demographic and perceptual factors associated with compliance were identified. Compliance was more common among men (54.4%) (P < 0.001). Adults (54.6%) had greater rates of high compliance (P < 0.001. The mean age of high compliers (41.5 years) was significantly older (35.8 years) (t = 8.46, P < 0.001). Perception of onchocerciasis and effectiveness of ivermectin influenced compliance. 81.4% of respondents saw benefits in annual ivermectin treatment, high compliance among those who saw benefits was 59.3% compared to 13.3% of those who did not (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Efforts to increase compliance with ivermectin treatment should focus on providing health education to youth and women. Health education should also highlight the benefits of taking ivermectin.
BT - Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH C1 -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22575028?dopt=Abstract
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2012.03007.x IS - 7 J2 - Trop. Med. Int. Health LA - eng N1 -
N2 -
OBJECTIVE: To assess individual compliance with annual ivermectin treatment in onchocerciasis-endemic villages.
METHODS: Multi-site study in eight APOC-sponsored projects in Cameroon, Nigeria and Uganda to identify the socio-demographic correlates of compliance with ivermectin treatment. A structured questionnaire was administered on 2305 persons aged 10 years and above. Two categories of respondents were purposively selected to obtain both high and low compliers: people who took ivermectin 6-8 times and 0-2 times previously. Simple descriptive statistics were employed in characterizing the respondents into high and low compliers, while some socio-demographic and key perceptual factors were employed in regression models constructed to explain levels of compliance among the respondents.
RESULTS: Some demographic and perceptual factors associated with compliance were identified. Compliance was more common among men (54.4%) (P < 0.001). Adults (54.6%) had greater rates of high compliance (P < 0.001. The mean age of high compliers (41.5 years) was significantly older (35.8 years) (t = 8.46, P < 0.001). Perception of onchocerciasis and effectiveness of ivermectin influenced compliance. 81.4% of respondents saw benefits in annual ivermectin treatment, high compliance among those who saw benefits was 59.3% compared to 13.3% of those who did not (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Efforts to increase compliance with ivermectin treatment should focus on providing health education to youth and women. Health education should also highlight the benefits of taking ivermectin.
PY - 2012 SP - 920 EP - 30 T2 - Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH TI - Characteristics of persons who complied with and failed to comply with annual ivermectin treatment. VL - 17 SN - 1365-3156 ER -