Factors associated with participation in a campaign of mass treatment against lymphatic filariasis, in Leogane, Haiti

Abstract

In October 2000, to interrupt transmission of Wuchereria bancrofti, an intense health-education campaign followed by a mass drug administration (MDA) with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole was undertaken in Leogane, Haiti. Three months after the MDA, which was the first in the study area, a knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) survey, with a cluster-sample design and probability sampling, was undertaken, to determine the existing knowledge of the local residents, their attitudes toward the MDA, and the possible reasons for non-compliance. Questionnaire-based interviews were used to explore the KAP of 304 subjects (one randomly chosen resident aged > 14 years from each selected household) in 33 communities. Most (93%) of the interviewees were aware of filariasis and 72% knew at least one clinical sign of the disease. Awareness of the MDA was high (91%). The most frequently mentioned sources of information were other people (56%) and radio announcements (33%). More than 80% of the respondents encouraged other people to take the drugs distributed in the MDA and 63% had been treated. The primary reasons given for failing to take the drugs were absenteeism during the distribution (17%), use of contraceptive drugs (12%) and pregnancy (11%). In a multivariate analysis, being male [odds ratio (OR) = 3.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.5-7.4], knowing that a mosquito transmits the disease (OR = 2.6; CI = 1.2-5.4), and having learned about the MDA through posters and banners (OR = 2.9; CI = 1.2-7.5) were found to be positively associated with taking the drugs. Information from such post-treatment surveys should be useful in developing better health communication for subsequent MDA.

Knowledge and Practice Related to Compliance with Mass Drug Administration during the Egyptian National Filariasis Elimination Program

“…This percentage is similar to that reported by Mathieu and others for an endemic area in Haiti. 6 Mathieu and others also reported that 36.4% of their study participants knew that mosquitoes transmit the disease. This value was higher in the present study (59.1%).…”

“…This finding was statistically significant by univariate and multivariate analysis, and the finding is also consistent with results reported from Haiti. 4,6 In other parts of the world, educational messages related to LF are often transmitted in person, 12 but television seems to have been important for delivering information about LF and MDA in Egypt. This finding supports the decision of the Egyptian MOH to invest heavily in electronic media for publicizing the LF elimination program.…”

“…5 A study carried out in Haiti showed that knowledge about filariasis and its mode of transmission was positively associated with MDA compliance. 6 Another paper reported that age, sex, and educational level influenced attitudes regarding MDA for filariasis in India. 7 Egypt's LF elimination program achieved unusually high MDA compliance rates.…”

Socioeconomic factors associated with compliance with mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis elimination in Kenya: Descriptive study results

“…This result is in tandem with the findings of Yirga et al, [19] and Nuwaha et al, [24] which positively associated high risk perception with compliance. To address the target communities' knowledge and perception gaps, in Haiti, Mathieu et al, [25] highlighted the importance of knowledge, attitudes, and perception surveys and their influence on behavior, for example, in the participation in public health Programs such as LF elimination. The World Health Organization further recommends that knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) surveys be integrated with drug coverage surveys [26] and be utilized to provide valuable information for Program managers, permitting them to adapt health-education messages to changes in public knowledge and attitude, over time.…”

Possible relationship among socio-economic determinants, knowledge and practices on lymphatic filariasis and implication for disease elimination in India

“…However, if elimination strategies are to succeed, in-depth socio-cultural understandings of the affected community is pivotal to maintain the sustainability of the program. Earlier studies (Ramaiah et al 2005;Babu and Kar 2004;Mathieu et al 2004) also emphasized that an intensive campaign of information, education, communication and advocacy is necessary if an effective mass drug administration were to be implemented.…”