title: Factors influencing drug compliance in the mass drug administration programme against filariasis in the Western province of Sri Lanka.
abstract: This descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional, randomized community-based study was done to determine factors influencing drug compliance in the mass drug administration (MDA) programme against filariasis in selected urban and rural populations within the Western province of Sri Lanka. The study population was selected using the cluster sampling method. Factors influencing drug compliance were determined by administration of an interviewer-based pre-tested questionnaire eliciting information regarding drug compliance, socio-economic status, educational background, knowledge, attitudes and practices with regard to the 2004 MDA. A total of 2319 people aged between 10 and 90 years (median 40) responded to the questionnaire. The belief that the MDA programme was beneficial was the most important factor affecting drug compliance, as revealed by multivariate analysis of the combined populations (P<0.001). This was so even in the urban population (P<0.001), while the belief regarding the severity (danger) of filariasis was important in the rural population (P=0.013), when the areas were considered individually. Therefore, it is essential for awareness programmes to highlight the dangers (complications) of the disease and to influence the community to perceive the benefits of a filariasis-free community as well as 'beyond filariasis' benefits of having albendazole given in combination in the MDA programme.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, P.O. Box 271, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. sharminigunawardena@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sharmini
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunawardena
authors.forename: Mahroof
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Nadira
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karunaweera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005368:Filariasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005369:Filaricides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006078:Government Programs; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology*; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013188:Sri Lanka; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides