Schistosomiasis, helminth infection and health education in Tanzania: achieving behaviour change in primary schools

• Published in: Health education research 2002-08, Vol.17 (4), p.425-433
• Main Authors: Lansdown, R., Ledward, A., Hall, A., Issae, W., Yona, E., Matulu, J., Mweta, M., Kihamia, C., Nyandindi, U., Bundy, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioural changes; Child; Child Development; Child Health; Control; Control Groups; Educational Environment; Female; Focus Groups; Health education; Health Education - organization & administration; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health technology assessment; Helminthiasis; Helminthiasis - epidemiology; Helminthiasis - prevention & control; Humans; Male; ORIGINAL ARTICLES; Personal hygiene; Prevalence; Primary Education; Primary schools; Risk Factors; Schistosomiasis; Schistosomiasis - epidemiology; Schistosomiasis - prevention & control; School Health Services - organization & administration; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tanzania; Tanzania - epidemiology; Teaching Methods
• ISSN: 0268-1153; 1465-3648; 1465-3648
• DOI: 10.1093/her/17.4.425

Over a period of one school year a study was carried out into the feasibility and effectiveness of introducing active teaching methods into primary schools in Tanzania with a view to enhancing health education. The Lushoto Enhanced Health Education Project had as a focus personal hygiene with reference to the control of schistosomiasis and helminth infections. When a randomly selected group of children were compared with a comparison group there was evidence of changes in both knowledge and health-seeking behaviour. The passing of messages from children to the community met with mixed results. The observed changes were still evident over 1 year after the project had ended.