Content area
Full text
About the Authors:
Janet Masaku
* E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Affiliation: Eastern & Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control (ESACIPAC), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6757-0989
Faith Mwende
Affiliation: Eastern & Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control (ESACIPAC), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
Gladys Odhiambo
Affiliation: Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
Rosemary Musuva
Affiliation: Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya
Elizabeth Matey
Affiliation: Centre for Microbiology Research (CMR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
Jimmy H. Kihara
Affiliation: Directorate of Basic Education, Early Childhood Education Section, Ministry of Education, Nairobi, Kenya
Isaac G. Thuita
Affiliation: Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya
Doris W. Njomo
Affiliation: Eastern & Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control (ESACIPAC), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, KenyaAbstract
Background
Soil-transmitted helminthes (STHs) are common human parasitic diseases in most of the developing world particularly in Kenya. The ongoing National School-Based Deworming Programme (NSBDP) was launched in 2012 and is currently targeting 28 of the 47 endemic Counties. In an effort to improve treatment intervention strategies among Pre-School Age Children (PSAC) attending Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDC), we sought to assess parents’ knowledge, perceptions and practices on worm infection.
Methodology
We conducted a qualitative cross-sectional study in four endemic sub-counties of two counties of coastal region of Kenya. A total of 20 focus group discussions (FGDs) categorized by gender were conducted among parents of pre-school age children. Participants were purposively selected based on homogenous characteristics with the saturation model determining the number of focus group discussions conducted. The data collected was analyzed manually by study themes.
Findings
The majority of the parents had knowledge on worms and modes of transmission of the parasitic infections among the pre-school children. Also, most of the participants knew the causes of worm infection and the pre- disposing factors mentioned included poor hygiene and sanitation practices. Due to poor knowledge of signs and symptoms, misconceptions about the drugs administered during the NSBDP were common with a large majority of the parents indicating that the drugs were ineffective in worm control. The findings also indicated that most of the participants sought medical...