Health education and community participation in the control of urinary schistosomiasis in Ghana.
OBJECTIVE
To study the role of health education and community participation for the provision of facilities necessary for the control of urinary schistosomiasis in southern Ghana.


OBJECTIVE
Health education facilitates community participation in the provision of facilities for the control of bilharzia.


METHODS
Three rural communities drained by the Densu river in southern Ghana.


METHODS
Individuals aged 14 years and above formed groups of 10-12 persons by age, sex, ethnic and educational background; 15-16 groups were formed.


METHODS
Based on existing structures, one community received active, another passive health education and the third had no education. All three communities received chemotherapy.


METHODS
Study was carried out in three phases: pre-intervention phase--during which baseline data on residents' knowledge, attitude, beliefs and perception about bilharzia were collected using focus group discussions (FGD) prior to the second phase, intervention. Another FGD was held after 18 months to evaluate the intervention--third phase.


RESULTS
This study suggests that most community members were aware of schistosomiasis but not as a disease. Before the health education, some residents believed bilharzia was a sign of manhood while others attributed the red colour of the urine to the red colour of a variety of sugar cane eaten in the area. After the health education, residents in the three areas constructed hand-dug wells. In addition, those who received active health education constructed two toilets for the schools and weeded the banks of the rivers. Residents also associated the disease with the water snail.


CONCLUSIONS
Health education was useful in changing community perception on bilharzia.
Aryeetey
M E
ME
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Aholu
C
C
Wagatsuma
Y
Y
Bentil
G
G
Nkrumah
F K
FK
Kojima
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D003256:Community Participation; D004521:Educational Measurement; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods