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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
immunology and microbiology
Awareness and knowledge of female genital schistosomiasis in a population with high endemicity: a cross-sectional study in Madagascar
Frontiers in Microbiology, Volume 14, Article 1278974, Year 2023
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Description
Introduction: Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is a neglected disease with long-term physical and psychosocial consequences, affecting approximately 50 million women worldwide and generally representing an unmet medical need on a global scale. FGS is the chronic manifestation of a persistent infection with Schistosoma haematobium. FGS services are not routinely offered in endemic settings with a small percentage of women at risk receiving adequate care. Madagascar has over 60% prevalence of FGS and no guidelines for the management of the disease. This study aimed to determine FGS knowledge among women and health care workers (HCWs) in a highly endemic area of Madagascar. Methods: A convenience sampling strategy was used for this cross-sectional study. Descriptive statistics including proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, reporting socio-demographic characteristics of the population. Knowledge sources were evaluated descriptively. Binary Poisson regression with robust standard errors was performed; crude (CPR) and adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) with 95% CIs were calculated. Results: A total of 783 participants were included in the study. Among women, 11.3% (n = 78) were aware of FGS while among the HCWs 53.8% (n = 50) were aware of FGS. The highest level of knowledge was observed among women in an urban setting [24%, (n = 31)] and among those with a university education/vocational training [23% (n = 13)]. A lower APR of FGS knowledge was observed in peri-urban [APR 0.25 (95% CI: 0.15; 0.45)] and rural [APR 0.37 (95% CI 0.22; 0.63)] settings in comparison to the urban setting. Most HCWs reported other HCWs [40% (n = 20)] while women mainly reported their family [32% (n = 25)] as being their main source of information in the 6 months prior to the survey. Discussion and conclusions: Our study shows limited awareness and knowledge of FGS among population groups in the highly endemic Boeny region of Madagascar. With this study we contribute to identifying an important health gap in Madagascar, which relates to a disease that can silently affect millions of women worldwide. In alignment with the targets of the NTD roadmap, addressing schistosomiasis requires a paradigm shift for its control and management including a greater focus on chronic forms of the disease. Copyright © 2023 Rausche, Rakotoarivelo, Rakotozandrindrainy, Rakotomalala, Ratefiarisoa, Rasamoelina, Kutz, Jaeger, Hoeppner, Lorenz, May, Puradiredja and Fusco.
Authors & Co-Authors
Rausche, Pia
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Germany, Hamburg
German Center for Infection Research
Rakotoarivelo, Rivonirina Andry
Madagascar, Fianarantsoa
Université de Fianarantsoa
Rakotozandrindrainy, Raphaël
Madagascar, Antananarivo
Université D'antananarivo
Rakotomalala, Rivo Solotiana
Madagascar, Majunga
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Professeur Zafisaona Gabriel Androva
Ratefiarisoa, Sonya
Madagascar, Majunga
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Professeur Zafisaona Gabriel Androva
Rasamoelina, Tahinamandranto
Madagascar, Antananarivo
Centre Infectiologie Charles Mérieux Cicm
Kutz, Jean Marc
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Germany, Hamburg
German Center for Infection Research
Jaeger, Anna
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Lorenz, Eva
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Germany, Hamburg
German Center for Infection Research
May, Juergen ü.
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Germany, Hamburg
German Center for Infection Research
Germany, Hamburg
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-eppendorf
Puradiredja, Dewi Ismajani
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Fusco, Daniela
Germany, Hamburg
Bernhard Nocht Institut Fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
Germany, Hamburg
German Center for Infection Research
Statistics
Authors: 12
Affiliations: 7
Identifiers
Doi:
10.3389/fmicb.2023.1278974
ISSN:
1664302X
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Study Locations
Madagascar
Participants Gender
Female