MOTHERS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PREVENTION OF LEISHMANIASIS: WHAT IS THE ROLE OF HEALTH VOLUNTEERS EDUCATION?
Abstract
Introduction: Almost all patients with coetaneous leishmaniasis have little knowledge about prevention and transmission of the disease. Clearly health education is an important factor and a new strategy for the control and prevention of the disease. High expenses of vaccines and little improvement in the production of vaccine persuaded us to focus on health education for parasitic disease control.
Methods: At first, the level of knowledge about different aspects of leishmaniasis was determined in 232 mothers in experimental group (social community medical center in Haftoon) and 239 mothers in control group (zeinabieh) by a questionnaire with 26 questions. The level of knowledge about disease was checked in both groups after educational programme for health volunteers of experimental group in Haftoon. Knowledge levels were graded in Good (13-20), middle (7-12) and weak (0-6) categories.
Results: Mothers knowledge about control and prevention of leishmaniasis was in middle level in both group. There was significant relationship between educational degree of mothers and husbands and the job of husbands with their knowledge about the disease. Increasing the mean knowledge of mothers after education of health volunteers were 0.91 (12.6 percent) in experimental group and 0.42 (5.72 percent) in control group. So, education of health volunteers had no significant effects on increasing the mothers knowledge (P>0.05).
Discussion: This survey showed that the knowledge about control and prevention of leishmaniasis in endermic area is low. Health volunteers as related group between the health center and women have no acceptable functions. So, it is suggested that education to women should be applied in endemic area and health volunteers must be activated by the health centers.
Methods: At first, the level of knowledge about different aspects of leishmaniasis was determined in 232 mothers in experimental group (social community medical center in Haftoon) and 239 mothers in control group (zeinabieh) by a questionnaire with 26 questions. The level of knowledge about disease was checked in both groups after educational programme for health volunteers of experimental group in Haftoon. Knowledge levels were graded in Good (13-20), middle (7-12) and weak (0-6) categories.
Results: Mothers knowledge about control and prevention of leishmaniasis was in middle level in both group. There was significant relationship between educational degree of mothers and husbands and the job of husbands with their knowledge about the disease. Increasing the mean knowledge of mothers after education of health volunteers were 0.91 (12.6 percent) in experimental group and 0.42 (5.72 percent) in control group. So, education of health volunteers had no significant effects on increasing the mothers knowledge (P>0.05).
Discussion: This survey showed that the knowledge about control and prevention of leishmaniasis in endermic area is low. Health volunteers as related group between the health center and women have no acceptable functions. So, it is suggested that education to women should be applied in endemic area and health volunteers must be activated by the health centers.
Keywords
Leishmaniasis, Health voluntcars