Impact of Education on Knowledge and Practice of Kala Azar Preventive Measures among Seasonal and Migrant Agricultural Workers in Northwest Ethiopia.

Impact of Education on Knowledge and Practice of Kala Azar Preventive Measures among Seasonal and Migrant Agricultural Workers in Northwest Ethiopia. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2020 Feb 10;: Authors: Alemayehu M, Paintain L, Adera C, Berhe R, Gebeyehu A, Gizaw Z, Herrero M, Mulugeta Beshah A, Den Boer M, Nigusie A, Alem M, Yechale E, Elnaiem DA Abstract Kala azar occurs among seasonal and migrant agricultural workers in northwest Ethiopia and accounts for almost 60% of the disease burden in the country. We conducted a quantitative study on the level of knowledge and practice of this vulnerable group in relation to kala azar transmission and acceptability of its vector control tools. A total of 403 workers were randomly selected from eight farms using a purposive sampling technique. Knowledge and practice scores were calculated based on 12 and 9 core questions, respectively. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with knowledge and practice. A large gap in knowledge of the disease and the vector was evident with 61.8%, 24.6%, and 13.6% of the workers having poor, moderate, and good levels of knowledge scores, respectively. Similarly, 95% of the seasonal workers reported poor level of use of protective measures against the bite of the sand fly vector. Good level of knowledge about kala azar and its sand fly vector was statistically associated with formal education (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.17, 3....
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene - Category: Tropical Medicine Authors: Tags: Am J Trop Med Hyg Source Type: research