Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of school going children on Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis in East Kisumu Location, Kisa

Abstract

Globally, approximately 1.5 billion people are infected with soil transmitted helminthes and more than half a billion children live in high transmission areas and are in dire need of treatment and control interventions. In Kenya, approximately 15 million people are infected. We evaluated the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of school going children towards soil transmitted helminthiasis. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Ziwani Learning Centre, Usomavillage in Kisumu County. The study population consisted of pupils aged 4-15 from Ziwani Learning Centre. There was relatively poor knowledge, attitude and practice of children towards on soil transmitted helminths. 37 pupils (41%) had never heard about intestinal worms. There is a gap exposing the study population to risk of being infected or re- infected with soil transmitted helminths despite the gains made by the NSBDP.