title: Enhancing community knowledge and health behaviors to eliminate blinding trachoma in Mali using radio messaging as a strategy.
abstract: The National Blindness Prevention Program in Mali has broadcast messages on the radio about trachoma as part of the country's trachoma elimination strategy since 2008. In 2011, a radio impact survey using multi-stage cluster sampling was conducted in the regions of Kayes and Segou to assess radio listening habits, coverage of the broadcasts, community knowledge and behavior specific to trachoma and facial cleanliness of children. Radio access and listening were high, with 60% of respondents having heard a message on the radio about trachoma. The majority of respondents knew about trachoma, its root causes, its impact on health and prevention measures. Additionally, 66% reported washing their children's faces more than or equal to twice/day and 94% reported latrine disposal of feces. A high percentage of persons who gave a positive response to knowledge and behavior questions reported hearing the trachoma messages on the radio with 60% reporting that the radio is where they learned about trachoma. There was no significant difference in facial cleanliness when comparing children whose primary caregiver had/had not heard the trachoma messages. Next steps include revising the current messages to include more focused behavior change messaging and to engage in a more robust use of community radios.
authors.affiliation: Programme National de Lutte Contre la Cécité, Ministère de la Santé, Bamako, Mali.
authors.forename: Sanoussi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bamani
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toubali
authors.forename: Sadio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diarra
authors.forename: Seydou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goita
authors.forename: Zana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Berté
authors.forename: Famolo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coulibaly
authors.forename: Hama
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sangaré
authors.forename: Marjon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuinsma
authors.forename: Yaobi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dembelé
authors.forename: Palesa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Melvin
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: MacArthur
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008302:Mali / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011845:Radio; D014141:Trachoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult