PREVALENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICE OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS AMONG SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OLUYOLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OYO STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Schistosomiasis also known as Bilharziasis remains one of the most prevalent parasitic worm infections and has economic and public health consequences. In 2013, report was made to LGA on schistosomiasis by some members of the community on children passing blood with urine but the extent of the disease was not known. This study was therefore designed to investigate the prevalence, knowledge and preventive practice of schistosomiasis among selected secondary school students in Oluyole Local Government, Oyo State. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 420 students of selected secondary schools of Oluyole Local Government. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used and it comprised of open - ended and close - ended questions to obtain information on respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, prevalence, knowledge, factors predispose students to schistosomiasis, their preventive practice and type of information required by the students to prevent them from getting the disease. A 13 point knowledge scale was used to assess the knowledge of the students with (0-5) as poor, (6-9) as fair and (10-13) as good. Mean age of respondent’s was 14.62 ± 2.01 years, 57.9% were females and 53.8% were in junior secondary school only 32.0 % of respondents exhibited good knowledge. One hundred and ten (26.2%) of respondents reported that they passed blood with urine before and majority of infected students 66(60%) out of one hundred and ten that had passed blood with urine before visited PMV for treatment, 70(63.6%) were those who had the disease at least once. Some reported that after successful treatment, the disease reoccurred for two times or more. The mean knowledge of the respondents was 2.17 ± 2.25 meanwhile 329(76.6%) had not heard about the disease. Most did not know the correct mode of transmission of the disease such as swimming in infested water 279(66.7%). Majority did not know the sign and symptoms of schistosomiasis (haematuria 308(73.5%); dysuria 268(64.9%)’abdominal pain 295(71.8%) and supra pubic pain 260(63.7%). Also, more than two thirds did not know water bodies that habour the snails that host the parasite (lake 277(67.9%), dam-285(63.9%), river-280(68.1%), rice field- 273(66.7%) and water collection-(71.1%). Again, only 45(40.5%) sought medical treatment. On preventive practices, most 349(83.7%) reportedly stopped swimming in

river, 301(72.7%) stopped playing in rain and 314(75.7%) had stopped washing in river. Nearly all the respondents desired to know more about symptoms, mode of transmission, prevention and danger associated with the disease and treatment. In conclusion, the prevalence of schistosomiasis was high in the studied schools and respondents’ knowledge of the disease was poor. To address the problem, deliberate awareness creation for the students through seminars, classroom discussion, the inclusion of the disease in the curriculum is necessary to upgrade the knowledge of the students.