“We know about schistosomiasis but we know nothing about FGS”: A qualitative assessment of knowledge gaps about female genital schistosomiasis among communities living in Schistosoma haematobium endemic districts of Zanzibar and Northwestern Tanzania

Background Schistosoma haematobium causes urogenital schistosomiasis and is widely distributed in Tanzania. In girls and women, the parasite can cause Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), a gynecological manifestation of schistosomiasis that is highly neglected and overlooked by public health professionals and policy makers. This study explored community members’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions (KAP) on and health seeking behavior for FGS. Methods/Principal findings Using qualitative research methods—including 40 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 37 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)—we collected data from 414 participants (Males n = 204 [49.3%] and Females n = 210 [50.7%]). The study engaged 153 participants from Zanzibar and 261 participants from Northwestern Tanzania and was conducted in twelve (12) purposively selected districts (7 districts in Zanzibar and 5 districts in northwestern Tanzania). Most participants were aware of urogenital schistosomiasis. Children were reported as the most affected group and blood in urine was noted as a common symptom especially in boys. Adults were also noted as a risk group due to their involvement in activities like paddy farming that expose them to infection. Most participants lacked knowledge of FGS and acknowledged having no knowledge that urogenital schistosomiasis can affect the female reproductive system. A number of misconceptions on the symptoms of FGS and how it is transmitted were noted. Adolescent girls and women presenting with FGS related symptoms were reported to be stigmatized, perceived as having a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and sometimes labeled as “prostitutes”. Health seeking behavior for FGS included a combination of traditional medicine, self-treatment and modern medicine. Conclusion/Significance Community members living in two very different areas of Tanzania exhibited major, similar gaps in knowledge about FGS. Our data illustrate a critical need for the national control program to integrate public health education about FGS during the implementation of school- and community-based mass drug administration (MDA) and with improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

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Using Google Trends to Examine the Spatio-Temporal Incidence and Behavioral Patterns of Dengue Disease: A Case Study in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease ◽

10.3390/tropicalmed3040118 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 118 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Howell T. Ho ◽

Thaddeus M. Carvajal ◽

John Robert Bautista ◽

Jayson Dale R. Capistrano ◽

Katherine M. Viacrusis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Cross Correlation ◽

Google Trends ◽

Health Concern ◽

Epidemiological Methods ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Health Seeking Behavior ◽

Search Queries ◽

Seeking Behavior

Dengue is a major public health concern and an economic burden in the Philippines. Despite the country’s improved dengue surveillance, it still suffers from various setbacks and needs to be complemented with alternative approaches. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential of Internet-based surveillance such as Google Dengue Trends (GDT) in supplementing current epidemiological methods for predicting future dengue outbreaks and patterns. With this, our study has two objectives: (1) assess the temporal relationship of weekly GDT and dengue incidence in Metropolitan Manila from 2009–2014; and (2) examine the health-seeking behavior based on dengue-related search queries of the population. The study collated the population statistics and reported dengue cases in Metropolitan Manila from respective government agencies to calculate the dengue incidence (DI) on a weekly basis for the entire region and annually per city. Data processing of GDT and dengue incidence was performed by conducting an ‘adjustment’ and scaling procedures, respectively, and further analyzed for correlation and cross-correlation analyses using Pearson’s correlation. The relative search volume of the term ‘dengue’ and top dengue-related search queries in Metropolitan Manila were obtained and organized from the Google Trends platform. Afterwards, a thematic analysis was employed, and word clouds were generated to examine the health behavior of the population. Results showed that weekly temporal GDT pattern are closely similar to the weekly DI pattern in Metropolitan Manila. Further analysis showed that GDT has a moderate and positive association with DI when adjusted or scaled, respectively. Cross-correlation analysis revealed a delayed effect where GDT leads DI by 1–2 weeks. Thematic analysis of dengue-related search queries indicated 5 categories namely; (a) dengue, (b) sign and symptoms of dengue, (c) treatment and prevention, (d) mosquito, and (e) other diseases. The majority of the search queries were classified in ‘signs and symptoms’ which indicate the health-seeking behavior of the population towards the disease. Therefore, GDT can be utilized to complement traditional disease surveillance methods combined with other factors that could potentially identify dengue hotspots and help in public health decisions.

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Patients’ Perceptions of Hospital Care in a Covid-19 Pandemic Population

International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health ◽

10.9734/ijtdh/2021/v42i1930540 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 27-34

Author(s):

Okechwukwu Felix Erondu ◽

Michael Promise Ogolodom ◽

Awajimijan Nathaniel Mbaba ◽

Aniebo Nonyelum

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Hospital Care ◽

Health Planning ◽

Self Report ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Seeking Behavior ◽

Clean Environment ◽

Seeking Behavior

Background: COVID-19 pandemic was associated with pandemonium and misinformation, affecting patients' health-seeking behavior. This study was designed to explore patients' perceptions of hospital care during this period and to provide evidence-based and appropriate public health planning strategies. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 155 patients using 22 items structured and self-completion questionnaires to determine (A) Socio-demographic variables, (B) Knowledge and perception of the disease, and (C) The participants’ behaviors towards COVID-19. A Hardcopy version of the questionnaire was administered to the respondents by direct issuance. Results: 103(66.45%) of the respondents knew the cause of COVID-19, while 104 (67.09%) agreed that people can be infected with COVID-19 in the hospital. 84 (54.19%) were afraid of a hospital visit and 66 (42.58%) are unwilling to self-report if they have minor symptoms. A large number 43(27.74%) perceived a clean environment as the impetus to make them comfortable in the hospital. Conclusion: Our study illuminates gaps in the patients’ perceptions of hospital care during the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted negatively on the patient population as they avoided hospitalization for fear of contracting COVID-19 in the hospital. Furthermore, appropriate public health strategies can improve patients’ perceptions and health-seeking behavior in a pandemic period.

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The Burden of Snakebite in Rural Communities in Kenya: A Household Survey

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.4269/ajtmh.21-0266 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gaby I. Ooms ◽

Janneke van Oirschot ◽

Benjamin Waldmann ◽

Dorothy Okemo ◽

Aukje K. Mantel-Teeuwisse ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Household Survey ◽

Life Time ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Community Members ◽

Health Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Context Specific

Annually, about 2.7 million snakebite envenomings occur worldwide, primarily affecting those living in rural regions. Effective treatment exists but is scarce, and traditional treatments are commonly used. To inform context-specific policies in Kenya, this study aimed to determine the health-seeking behavior and the health, social, and economic burden of snakebites in rural communities. Nonprobability sampling was used to survey 382 respondents from four snakebite-endemic counties, from February to August 2020, using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Fisher’s exact tests, binary logistic regressions, and Mantel-Haenszel tests were used for analysis. Life-time experience with snakebites included 13.1% of respondents who reported being personally bitten and 37.4% who reported knowing of a community member being bitten. Respondents reported death after a snakebite in 9.1% of bitten community members and in 14.6% of bitten family members. Risk of snakebite was not significantly associated with sex, educational level, or occupation. Snakebite victims were most often walking (38%) or farming (24%) when bitten. Of those bitten, 58% went to a health facility, 30% sought traditional treatment, and 12% first went to a traditional healer before visiting a facility. Significant differences existed in perceptions on the financial consequences of snakebites among those who had been personally bitten and those who had observed a snakebite. Most commonly mentioned preventive measures were wearing shoes and carrying a light in the dark. Community engagement, including engagement with traditional healers, is needed to reduce snakebites. This should be done through education and sensitization to improve used preventive measures and effective health-seeking behavior.

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Perceptions of community members on tuberculosis and its effect on health-seeking behavior in Nigeria

International Journal of Mycobacteriology ◽

10.1016/j.ijmyco.2014.10.023 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 61

Author(s):

O. Kusimo ◽

R. Olukolade ◽

A. Hassan ◽

L. Okwuonye ◽

K. Osinowo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Seeking ◽

Community Members ◽

Health Seeking Behavior ◽

Seeking Behavior

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HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF RURAL ADULTS

Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1703683 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 03 (03) ◽

pp. 077-082

Author(s):

Rose Ann Dominic ◽

Shashidhara Y. N. ◽

Malathi G. Nayak

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Demographic Variables ◽

Health Care Facilities ◽

Public Health Care ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Health Seeking Behavior ◽

Care Facilities ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Rural Adults

Abstract Background: The knowledge of health seeking behavior is pivotal for prevention, treatment, management of disease and promotion of health. Proper understanding of those health seeking behaviors could reduce delay to diagnosis, improve treatment compliance and improve health promotion strategies in a variety of contexts. Objectives: to assess the health seeking behavior among rural adults towards private and public health care facilities in case of selected health problems, to find the association between health seeking behavior and selected demographic variables. Materials and Methods: A descriptive survey was done among 260 rural adults by using self administered rating scale questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the analysis. Results: Among the 260 samples 28.8% were having positive health seeking behavior towards government health care facilities. Majority of the sample i.e. 71.2% were having negative health seeking behavior towards government health care facilities. There is a significant association between health seeking behavior and demographic variables such as age, education and family income. Conclusion: Majority of the sample prefers to use private health care facilities during the period of their illness. Awareness to be given to the community people regarding availability of public health care facilities.

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Health beliefs and health seeking behavior towards lymphatic filariasis morbidity management and disability prevention services in Luangwa District, Zambia: Community and provider perspectives

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

10.1371/journal.pntd.0009075 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. e0009075

Author(s):

Patricia Maritim ◽

Adam Silumbwe ◽

Joseph Mumba Zulu ◽

George Sichone ◽

Charles Michelo

Keyword(s):

Lymphatic Filariasis ◽

Health Beliefs ◽

Health Workers ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Disability Prevention ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Community Members ◽

Health Seeking Behavior ◽

Provider Perspectives ◽

Seeking Behavior

Background Morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) services are essential for the management of chronic stages of lymphatic filariasis (LF) infection. However, there is limited information on health beliefs and health seeking behavior towards MMDP services for LF in endemic regions of Zambia. This study sought to document health beliefs and health seeking behavior towards MMDP services for LF in Luangwa District, Zambia. Methods This was an exploratory qualitative study conducted with community members including LF patients, community health workers and healthcare providers. Data was collected through a series of four focus group discussions stratified by sex and 26 in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed by thematic analysis using NVivo software. Results The perceived causes of the chronic manifestations of LF included; contact with animal feces, use of traditional herbal aphrodisiacs (mutoto), witchcraft and sexual contact with women who were menstruating or had miscarried. LF patients opted to visit traditional healers before going to health facilities. Hydrocele patients were afraid of hydrocelectomies as they were thought to cause infertility or death. Very few community members were able to identify any home and facility-based care strategies for LF patients. Health system and cultural barriers to seeking healthcare included; long distances to the health facilities, lack of awareness of existing MMDP services, perceived costs of accessing MMDP services, gender and social norms, and fear of stigmatization. Conclusion Health seeking behavior for LF in the district is mainly driven by negative beliefs about the causes of the disease and lack of awareness of available MMDP services and homecare strategies. Lymphatic filariasis programs should promote strategies that seek to empower patients and community members with the required information to access and use the MMDP services at the health facilities, as well as adhere to self-care practices in their households.

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