Ertel, Rebekka Lund; Braae, Uffe Christian; Ngowi, Helena Aminiel; Johansen, Maria Vang
Description:
Health 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.