Aryeetey, M.E.Aholu, C.Wagatsuma, Y.Bentil, G.Nkrumah, F.K.Kojima, S.2013-06-122017-10-162013-06-122017-10-161999Aryeetey, M. E., Aholu, C., Wagatsuma, Y., Bentil, G., Nkrumah, F. K., & Kojima, S. (1999). Health education and community participation in the control of urinary schistosomiasis in Ghana. East African Medical Journal, 76(6), 324-329.http://197.255.68.203/handle/123456789/3073This paper examines the role of health education and community participation in the control of urinary schistosomiasis in Ghana. The study population included individuals 14 years old and above living in three rural communities drained by the Densu river. Focus group discussions were employed in the pre-intervention and evaluation phases of the study. Meanwhile, interventions include passive and active health education on schistosomiasis and chemotherapeutic treatment with praziquantel. One of the communities served as a control where no health education was employed. The investigation found out that most community members were aware of schistosomiasis, not as a disease but simply as a sign of manhood. Still others associate the condition with eating red sugar cane, sexual intercourse with infected partner and so on. The health education program gave the communities the opportunity to enrich their knowledge on urinary schistosomiasis, its causes, treatment, and prevention. As evidence, hand-dug wells and toilets were constructed and the residents in the communities cleaned riverbanks. Health education also made the people realize that Bilharzia is a curable and preventable public health problem.enResearch reportCommunity participationHealth educationPublic HealthSchistosomiasisDisease prevention and controlDeveloping countriesOrganization and administration |EducationHealthParasitic diseasesDiseasesArticle