Browsing by Author "Ngowi, Helena Aminiel"
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Item Assessment of a computer-based Taenia solium health education tool ‘The Vicious Worm’ on knowledge uptake among professionals and their attitudes towards the program2015(Elsevier, 2016) Ertel, Rebekka Lund; Braae, Uffe Christian; Ngowi, Helena Aminiel; Johansen, Maria VangHealth education has been recognised as a specific intervention tool for control of Taenia solium taenio- sis/cysticercosis but evaluation of the efficacy of the tool remains. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of a computer-based T. solium health education tool ‘The Vicious Worm’ on knowledge uptake among professionals and investigate attitudes towards the program. The study was carried out between March and May 2014 in Mbeya Region, Tanzania, where T. solium is endemic. The study was a pre and post assessment of a health education tool based on questionnaire surveys and focus group discussions to investigate knowledge and attitudes. A total of 79 study subjects participated in the study including study subjects from both health- and agriculture sector. The health education consisted of 11⁄2 h indi- vidual practice with the computer program. The baseline questionnaire showed an overall knowledge on aspects of acquisition and transmission of T. solium infections (78%), porcine cysticercosis treatment (77%), human tapeworm in general (72%), neurocysticercosis in general (49%), and porcine cysticerco- sis diagnosis (48%). However, there was a lack of knowledge on acquisition of neurocysticercosis (15%), prevention of T. solium taeniosis/cysticercosis (28%), and relation between porcine cysticercosis, human cysticercosis, and taeniosis (32%). Overall, the study subject’s knowledge was significantly improved both immediately after (p = 0.001) and two weeks after (p < 0.001) the health education and knowledge regard- ing specific aspects was significantly improved in most aspects immediately after and two weeks after the health education. The focus group discussions showed positive attitudes towards the program and the study subjects found ‘The Vicious Worm’ efficient, simple, and appealing. The study revealed a good effect of ‘The Vicious Worm’ suggesting that it could be a useful health education tool, which should be further assessed and thereafter integrated in T. solium taeniosis/cysticercosis control.Item Effectiveness of health education intervention in reducing the incidence rate of porcine cysticercosis in Mbulu District, Northern Tanzania(Sokoine University of Agriculture, 2005) Ngowi, Helena AminielA study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of health and pig management education intervention in reducing the incidence rate of porcine cysticercosis caused by larvae of Taenia solium in Mbulu District, northern Tanzania. A random sample of 827 pig-keeping households was selected from 42 randomly selected villages to participate in the study, which lasted for about 2 years. Baseline data were collected on the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis based on lingual examination of live pigs; history of human taeniosis, and related knowledge and practices based on questionnaire interviews and observations. The health education intervention, developed with community participation, was allocated to 21 of the 42 study villages by randomisation. A note-based analysis was used to analyse qualitative data, while quantitative data were analysed using Stata 8.0 for Windows. Knowledge of smallholder pig farmers on how a pig acquires cysticercosis and how to prevent it, improved significantly in both the intervention and control groups 6 months after the [improvement by the intervention: 27.4% (95% CI: 7.0, 48.0) and 37.7% (95% CI: 13.0, 62.0), respectively]. The effect of the intervention 10-12 months postintervention was not significant [improvement by the intervention: 0.7% (95% CI: - 11.0,12.0) and 1.1% (95% CI: -13.0, 15.0). There were no significant improvements in observed practices by the intervention throughout the study period. The incidence rate of porcine cysticercosis as measured by antigen ELISA in tracer piglets in the intervention, showing a significant effect attributable to the intervention control group was about 1.6 that in the intervention group (95% CI: 0.928, 2.707). ’I'he effectiveness of the education intervention in reducing the incidence rate of porcine cysticercosis was 35.9%. Educating pig farmers in Mbulu District on how to control porcine cysticercosis would have a significant financial benefit to them [NPV: TZS 4 034 030.4 (95% CI: 3 719 614.0, 4 368 169.0); IRR: 370%]. Health education would have an important contribution to the control of Taenia solium transmission, if implemented in Mbulu District. Demonstration studies are needed in order to educate smallholder pig farmers on how to improve the traditional pig rearing system using locally available resources