ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2019
Effects of 'The Vicious Worm' educational tool on Taenia solium knowledge retention in Zambian primary school students after one year.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Integrating neurological expertise into One Health strategies for pediatric neurocysticercosis-associated epilepsy control in Sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative review.One health outlook · 2025Review
- The Vicious Worm education tool improves the knowledge of community health workers on Taenia solium cysticercosis in Rwanda.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2024Article
- Effects of a Digital Health Literacy Intervention on Porcine Cysticercosis Prevalence and Associated Household Practices in Iringa District, Tanzania.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Prevalence and factors associated with human Taenia solium taeniosis and cysticercosis in twelve remote villages of Ranomafana rainforest, Madagascar.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2022Article
- The Contribution of Community Health Education to Sustainable Control of the Neglected Zoonotic Diseases.Frontiers in public health · 2021Review
- Neurocysticercosis: Current Perspectives on Diagnosis and Management.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2021Review
- Effects of 'The Vicious Worm' educational software on Taenia solium knowledge among key pork supply chain workers in Zambia.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2020Article
- Perceptions and acceptability of piloted Taenia solium control and elimination interventions in two endemic communities in eastern Zambia.Transboundary and emerging diseases · 2020Article
- Zoonotic and vector-borne parasites and epilepsy in low-income and middle-income countries.Nature reviews. Neurology · 2020Review
- Modelling forBulletin of the World Health Organization · 2020Article
- The World Health Organization 2030 goals forGates open research · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
17 authors at 6 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTaenia solium is a neglected zoonotic parasite endemic throughout many low-income countries worldwide, including Zambia, where it causes human and pig diseases with high health and socioeconomic burdens. Lack of knowledge is a recognized risk factor, and consequently targeted health educational programs can decrease parasite transmission and disease occurrence in endemic areas. Preliminary assessment of the computer-based education program 'The Vicious Worm' in rural areas of eastern Zambia indicated that it was effective at increasing knowledge of T. solium in primary school students. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of 'The Vicious Worm' on knowledge retention by re-assessing the same primary school students one year after the initial education workshops. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL
findingsFollow-up questionnaires were administered in the original three primary schools in eastern Zambia in 2017, 12 months after the original workshops. In total, 86 pupils participated in the follow-up sessions, representing 87% of the initial workshop respondents. Knowledge of T. solium at 'follow-up' was significantly higher than at the initial 'pre' questionnaire administered during the Vicious Worm workshop that took place one year earlier. While some specifics of the parasite's life cycle were not completely understood, the key messages for disease prevention, such as the importance of hand washing and properly cooking pork, remained well understood by the students, even one year later. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Results of this study indicate that 'The Vicious Worm' may be an effective tool for both short- and long-term T. solium education of rural primary school students in Zambia. Inclusion of educational workshops using 'The Vicious Worm' could be recommended for integrated cysticercosis control/elimination programs in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly if the content is simplified to focus on the key messages for prevention of disease transmission.
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