title: Health education and the control of intestinal worm infections in China: a new vision.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The transmission of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) is associated with poverty, poor hygiene behaviour, lack of clean water and inadequate waste disposal and sanitation. Periodic administration of benzimidazole drugs is the mainstay for global STH control but it does not prevent re-infection, and is unlikely to interrupt transmission as a stand-alone intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We reported recently on the development and successful testing in Hunan province, PR China, of a health education package to prevent STH infections in Han Chinese primary school students. We have recently commenced a new trial of the package in the ethnically diverse Xishuangbanna autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province and the approach is also being tested in West Africa, with further expansion into the Philippines in 2015.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The work in China illustrates well the direct impact that health education can have in improving knowledge and awareness, and in changing hygiene behaviour. Further, it can provide insight into the public health outcomes of a multi-component integrated control program, where health education prevents re-infection and periodic drug treatment reduces prevalence and morbidity.
authors: Donald P
authors: DP
authors: McManus
authors: Franziska A
authors: FA
authors: Bieri
authors: Yue-Sheng
authors: YS
authors: Li
authors: Gail M
authors: GM
authors: Williams
authors: Li-Ping
authors: LP
authors: Yuan
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Henglin
authors: Zun-Wei
authors: ZW
authors: Du
authors: Archie Ca
authors: AC
authors: Clements
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Steinmann
authors: Giovanna
authors: G
authors: Raso
authors: Peiling
authors: P
authors: Yap
authors: Ricardo J Soares
authors: RJ
authors: Magalhães
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Stewart
authors: Allen G
authors: AG
authors: Ross
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Halton
authors: Xiao-Nong
authors: XN
authors: Zhou
authors: Remigio M
authors: RM
authors: Olveda
authors: Veronica
authors: V
authors: Tallo
authors: Darren J
authors: DJ
authors: Gray
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006266:Health Education; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006376:Helminths / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012499:Sanitation; D012574:Schools; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology*; D013334:Students
chemical_list: D012987:Soil