Yakob, Bereket (2007) Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Community and Health Professionals towards Podoconiosis in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Masters thesis, Addis Ababa University.
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Abstract
Introduction: podoconiosis is a, non-infective, chronic disease characterized by the development of persistent swelling of plantar foot which progresses to the dorsum of the foot and encompasses lower leg slowly. Wolaita Zone is highly exposed to crystalline substances and the prevalence of podoconiosis exceeds 5.0%. People with podoconiosis and their families bear a range of negative social impacts as a consequence of having podoconiosis. Objectives: to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of community and health professionals towards podoconiosis in Wolaita Zone. Methods: a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2007. Community participants were selected by multistage probability sampling while health professionals were selected purposively. Structured, piloted and scrutinized questionnaires were used for data collection. Data were then entered into EPI/INFO V6.04 and exported to SPSS V11.5 for analysis. Results: most (91.6%) of community respondents knew about podoconiosis. Misconceptions about causation ranged from 9.3-62.9% and about prevention methods ranged from 52.0%- 64.9%. Only 21.4% and 11.4% knew that matting floors and cementing floors could prevent podoconiosis, respectively. Nearly 46.0% of community respondents had low knowledge about podoconiosis. About 37.1-55.7% showed stigmatizing and discriminating attitudes towards social interactions with podoconiosis patients, and 63.8% had unfavorable attitude towards podoconiosis. Around 86.1% had ever worn shoes and 54.2% were wearing shoes during interview. Only 58.2% of health professionals (HPs) knew that podoconiosis is caused by soil particles. HPs misconceptions about causes of podoconiosis ranged from 37.1%-61.3%. Majority (54.3%) had low knowledge score about podoconiosis. Working in a private health facility was negatively associated with the general knowledge score of HPs (P<0.05). Most (86.4%) HPs did not feel that they had adequate knowledge and skills to provide care and treatment for podoconiosis patients. Forty-eight percent of HPs had unfavorable attitude and those withhigh knowledge were more likely to have favorable attitude (P<0.05). Thirty-six percent of health professionals had ever treated podoconiosis patients and 71.0% of them prescribed DEC. Conclusions: both community and health professionals had misconceptions about causation, care, treatment and preventions of podoconiosis. Based on findings, awareness raising and behavioral change interventions, hygiene promotion, cementing floors, matting floors, training health professionals on care and treatment of podoconiosis, and further researches on relative importance of various causes of podoconiosis were recommended.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Emmanuel Ndorimana |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Jul 2018 11:59 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Jul 2018 11:59 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/7469 |
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