Knowledge, Attitude And Practice (Kap) Of School Teachers On Malaria, Helminthiasis And Associated Risk Factors In Primary Schools In Onitsha, Anambra State, South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Structured questionnaires were administered to 160 teachers from different Nursery and Primary Schools in GRA Onitsha, Nigeria to assess their knowledge, atttude and practices (KAP) on malaria, helminthiass and associated risk factors in the schools’ premises. Educational attainments of the teachers were Masters Degree (0.8 %), Bachelors Degree (39.2 %), Diploma Certcate (50.8 %), and Secondary School Certificate (9.2 %). There were more female (99.2 %) than males (0.8 %). A high percentage o the teachers (754 %) attributed malaria to eating too much oily food, hereditary (0.7 %), intense sunlight (2.1 %), drinking of dirty water (0.7 %), butter (3.5 %), and fried foods (1.4 %). On malaria prevention, about 64.2 % of teachers heard about insecticide treated net (ITN) but have never used it. Other preventive measures mentioned were use of clean environment (31.9 %), mosquito nets (20.2 %), and antmalarial drugs (12.3 %). KAP on helminthiass indicated that some of teachers attributed worm infection to eating sugary foods (19.2 %), drinking dirty water (9.3 %), natural occurrence (1.3 %), eating with diry hands (13.9 %), unwashed fruits and vegetables (10.6 %), unripe fruits (3.3 %), and over ripped fruits (2.0 %). About 48.33 % had seen worms in pupil’s stool., while 375 % had de-wormed pupils; 533 % of them using Ketrax®. Teachers’ perceved methods o preventing worm infection were avoidanceof sugary foods (27.9 %), washing hands before eating (10.46%), washing fruits and vegetables before consumption (26.2 %), and drinking clean water (10.46 %), while 22.1-30 % dd not knowhow to prevent nor treat helminthiasis Risk factorsfor parasitic infections observed in most of theschools included indiscriminate defecation, unhygienic lavatories, blocked drainages, container breeding habitats and open dumping of wastes. Health education for teachers in nursery and primary schools on transmission, prevention and treatment of malaria and helminthiass is hghly advocated. Keywords: Malaria, Helminthiasis, Parasitic infections, Risk factors, Primary schools children, KAP,