Community perception and readiness for anti-helminth programmes in rural Nepal.
We report on the community perception of helminth infection and readiness to participate in and pay for a community-based anti-helminth programme in rural Nepal. For data collection, 28 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in 28 communities. The FGD results revealed that community members were lacking in scientific knowledge about helminth infection. They also had an unusual perception about it--they believed that a 'mul juka' (vital worm) should reside in every person's stomach from birth, and must never be killed. Nonetheless, the results showed that the community members were willing to participate in and were ready to contribute their resources to the anti-helminth programmes as long as modern medicine would not kill the 'mul juka'. Such community readiness provides us with hope for developing a sustainable anti-helminth programme at the community level through effective health education.
Poudyal
Amod Kumar
AK
Department of International Community Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
Jimba
Masamine
M
Murakami
Izumi
I
Sherchand
Jeevan B
JB
Silwal
Ram Chandra
RC
Wakai
Susumu
S
D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012423:Rural Health
D000871:Anthelmintics