Table 5 Summary of focus group discussions, Saravane district, 2010 (n = 67)
From: Helminth infection in southern Laos: high prevalence and low awareness
Items | n (%) | Male (n = 32) | Female (n = 35) |
|---|---|---|---|
Knowledge about worm infection: | |||
Heard about liver fluke “san tap” or “pha yat bai mai nai tap” | 34 (50.7) | 34.4 | 65.7 |
How to get infection with O. viverrini: | |||
Eating raw vegetables | 3 (4.5) | 3.1 | 5.7 |
Not maintaining good personal hygiene: hand washing, nail clipping, unclean environment | 8 (11.9) | 15.6 | 11.4 |
Eating any raw food: meat, snail, shrimp | 29 (43.3) | 34.4 | 51.4 |
Eating raw fish dishes (Koi Pa, Lap Pa Nuew) | 8 (11.9) | 12.5 | 11.4 |
Heard about roundworm | 52 (77.6) | 84.4 | 71.4 |
How to get infection with roundworm: | |||
It just occurs in our body | 2 (2.9) | 0 | 5.7 |
Eat any raw: meat, fish, shrimp, vegetables | 7 (10.4) | 15.6 | 5.7 |
Not maintaining good personal hygiene: not hand washing before eating, not clipping nails, flies touching our food, drinking dirty water | 16 (23.9) | 18.7 | 28.6 |
Heard about hookworm | 3 (4.5) | 6.2 | 2.8 |
Do not know | 3 (4.5) | 6.2 | 2.8 |
Heard about whipworm | 2 (2.9) | 6.2 | 0 |
Do not know | 2 (2.9) | 6.2 | 0 |
Heard about tapeworm | 33 (49.3) | 46.9 | 51.4 |
Eating raw food | 8 (11.9) | 21.9 | 2.8 |
Eating raw fish dishes | 33 (49.3) | 53.1 | 45.7 |
Perceptions of latrine use: | |||
Village will not be dirty | 15 (22.4) | 34.4 | 11.4 |
Flies do not touch our food anymore | 4 (5.9) | 12.5 | 0 |
Prevention of diseases/no transmission of diseases | 10 (14.9) | 18.8 | 11.4 |
Animals will not eat human faeces | 6 (8.9) | 0 | 17.1 |
Convenience (not getting wet from rain, convenience during the night and when sick) | 13 (19.4) | 6.2 | 31.4 |
Perceived liver fluke as health problem in community | 6 (8.9) | 12.5 | 5.7 |
Practices personal hygiene: | |||
Hand washing before eating | 31 (46.3) | 31.2 | 60.0 |
Saying that most of people in village do not wash hands with soap | 10 (14.9) | 0 | 28.6 |
Perceptions of personal hygiene: | |||
Hands will be clean if we wash hands before eating | 10 (14.9) | 0 | 28.6 |
We will be healthy if we wash hands before eating | 3 (4.5) | 9.4 | 0 |
We can not get any worm infections or diseases if we wash our hands before eating | 20 (29.9) | 28.1 | 31.4 |
Deworming in community: | |||
Getting dewormed | 37 (55.2) | 75.0 | 37.1 |
Treatment of tapeworm with traditional medicine | 19 (28.3) | 43.7 | 14.3 |
Treatment with modern medicine | 18 (26.9) | 31.2 | 22.8 |
Treatment of roundworm using modern medicine | 2 (2.9) | 2.9 | 0 |