ArticlePLoS neglected tropical diseases2024
Knowledge, attitudes and practices toward female genital schistosomiasis among community women and healthcare professionals in Kimpese region, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Article in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Sex-specific presentation, epidemiology, and control of schistosomiasis in women and adolescent girls.The Lancet. Global health · 2026Review
- Diagnostic competence and health worker knowledge of female genital schistosomiasis management in a rural Ghanaian district.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- Assessment of community knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to schistosomiasis in a hyper-endemic region of the Democratic Republic of Congo: mixed methods.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Systemic and capacity barriers to female genital schistosomiasis management among healthcare workers in Ghana: a mixed-method approach.Tropical diseases, travel medicine and vaccines · 2025Article
- 'Female Genital Schistosomiasis: Translational Challenges and Opportunities' - outputs and actions from a consultative, collaborative and translational workshop.Parasitology · 2025Review
- Knowledge, attitudes and practices toward Female Genital Schistosomiasis among women living in communities along the Volta Lake in Volta Region, Ghana.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- The impact of Schistosoma haematobium hybridization on molecular diagnosis of schistosomiasis: A review with emphasis on female genital schistosomiasis.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Review
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6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundChronic infection with Schistosoma haematobium causes female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), which leads to diverse lesions in the female genital tract and several complications, including infertility and a higher risk for HIV transmission. This study aims to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward FGS and associated factors among women and health professionals in the schistosomiasis endemic focus of Kimpese, western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
methodsIn January 2022, two semi-quantitative questionnaires were administered to 201 randomly selected community women in Kifua II village, and to purposely selected health professionals (20 nurses and 41 doctors) from Kimpese Health Zone. KAP statements were coded using Likert scale, summarized as frequencies and percentages, and assessed for internal reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Associations between the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents and the KAP variables were assessed using Pearson chi-square (χ2) test, Cramer's V (φ) and gamma (γ) coefficients.
resultsOverall, respondents had high knowledge of schistosomiasis in general but low FGS-specific knowledge (91% versus 45%). Misconceptions concerned the disease transmission, with 30.3% of women and 25% of the nurses believing that FGS is transmitted by drinking untreated water, while 26.8% of the doctors mentioned sexual contact as a mode of FGS transmission. Negative attitudes included considering FGS not a very serious disease (34.8%), feeling uncomfortable during gynaecological examination (35.3%), difficulties avoiding risky water contact (72.1%) and open defecation/urination (41.3%), not intending to share FGS status with their husbands (38.3%) and loved ones (63.6%), and believing that husbands would leave them if they were infertile (31.8%). Regarding practices, 77.6% of women engaged daily in activities involving contact with water. Practices of health professionals were hampered by the lack of equipment and specialized knowledge for FGS diagnosis with only 57% of healthcare workers having a microscope in their facilities. Women's KAPs varied by age, education, marital status, occupation and monthly income.
conclusionThis study highlights insufficient knowledge, existing negative attitudes, at risk practices towards FGS by women, and limitations of FGS management by health professionals. These findings can help for tailored health education and WASH strategies, and call for health professional's capacities reinforcement.
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