title: Knowledge, attitude and practice of community drug distributors' about onchocerciasis and community directed treatment with ivermectin in Quara district, North Western Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Onchocerciasis is one of the most important public health problems over large areas of tropical Africa countries including Ethiopia. The African Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) has been working with ultimate goal of reducing the public health and socio-economic problems of onchocerciasis through administration of the tablet for continuous 12-15 years using the strategy of yearly community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) in endemic areas of Africa to kill the microfilariae that invade the eyes and are present in the skin to be transported to another victim by the black fly. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of community drug distributors (CDDs) towards onchocerciasis and CDTI in Quara district.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all the study participating CDD 11.4% (9/79) said that they knew about the etiology of the disease, 35.4% (28/79) had good level of knowledge, 19 (24.1%) had good level of positive attitude and 18 (22.8%) had good level of positive practice about onchocerciasis. Similarly, 45.6% (36/79), 81.0% (64/79) and 29.1% (23/79) had good level of knowledge, attitude and practice about CDTIP, respectively. Being a female CDD (adjusted OR 7.246, P = 0.035, 95% CI 1.147, 45.455) and being older than 35 years (adjusted OR 8.435, P = 0.001, 95% CI 4.53, 9.003) were significantly associated with the likelihood of having good level of knowledge about the disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although onchocerciasis is endemic in Quara district, large proportion of the CDDs had misconceptions about its causation, transmission and prevention. Therefore, CDTIP for onchocerciasis control need to be supported by proper and continuous training, and health education about different aspects of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health and Medical Science, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia. fwmlab2000@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fitsum
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weldegebreal
authors.affiliation: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Girmay
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Medhin
authors.affiliation: Metema Hospital, Gendwuha, North Gondar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Zemichael
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Weldegebriel
authors.affiliation: Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Mengistu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Legesse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017181:Onchocerca volvulus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009855:Onchocerciasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012843:Simuliidae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D007559:Ivermectin
keywords: Attitude; Ethiopia; Knowledge; Onchocerciasis; Practice; Quara