title: Knowledge and practice related to compliance with mass drug administration during the Egyptian national filariasis elimination program.
abstract: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) has been targeted for global elimination by 2020. The primary tool for the program is mass drug administration (MDA) with antifilarial medications to reduce the source of microfilariae required for mosquito transmission of the parasite. This strategy requires high MDA compliance rates. Egypt initiated a national filariasis elimination program in 2000 that targeted approximately 2.7 million persons in 181 disease-endemic localities. This study assessed factors associated with MDA compliance in year three of the Egyptian LF elimination program. 2,859 subjects were interviewed in six villages. The surveyed compliance rate for MDA in these villages was 85.3% (95% confidence interval = 83.9-86.5%). Compliance with MDA was positively associated with LF knowledge scores, male sex, and older age. Adverse events reported by 18.4% of participants were mild and more common in females. This study has provided new information on factors associated with MDA compliance during Egypt's successful LF elimination program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community, Environmental, and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and Research and Training Center on Vector of Diseases Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. khaledabdu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Khaled M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Abd Elaziz
authors.forename: Maged
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Setouhy
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Reda M R
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ramzy
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Weil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D004605:Elephantiasis, Filarial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005369:Filaricides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets; D007306:Insecticides; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014958:Wuchereria bancrofti; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005369:Filaricides; D007306:Insecticides; D015766:Albendazole; D004049:Diethylcarbamazine