ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Trop. Dis.
Sec. Neglected Tropical Diseases
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fitd.2025.1553488
This article is part of the Research TopicPreventing and Controlling Tropical Infectious Diseases: Lessons from the Global SouthView all 7 articles
Community perspectives on anti-helminthiasis Mass Drug Administration for schoolage Children in Ghana
Provisionally accepted
- 1Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Mafèrinyah, Conakry, Guinea
- 2Africa Centre of Excellence for the Prevention and Control of Transmissible Diseases, Guinea, Conakry, Guinea
- 3Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- 4Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry, Guinea, Conakry, Guinea
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Background: Soil transmitted-helminthiasis (STH) infections are neglected tropical diseases that affect populations worldwide, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Groups at risk include pre-school and school-age children as well as women of reproductive age. Mass drug administration (MDA) is recommended by the WHO to control soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) transmission in all endemic countries. Therefore, this study explored community perspectives on STH anti-helminthiasis MDA.Methods: A phenomenology study using qualitative research approaches was conducted. Indepth interviews with 15 caregivers, five community drug distributors (CDD), and three key informants' interviews were conducted in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti region, Ghana. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded using NVivo software Version 12 (QSR International Pty Ltd. Cardigan UK) by applying both inductive and deductive processes. Thematic analysis was then performed.Results: Although some participants had good knowledge about STH, others attributed its causes to sugary foods. Furthermore, participants had a perceived efficacy of traditional treatments (i.e., use of herbs and plant leaves) whilst considering albendazole and mebendazole (WHO-recommended medications) as poison. The lack of information on the MDA programme, benefits of the drugs distributed, as well as the neglect of motivation for CDDs are major barriers to implementing the MDA programmes within communities.NTD programme should continue educating communities about the benefits of the MDA. This would help address gaps in community perspectives and knowledge related to STH and the MDA.
Keywords: community perspectives, Anti-helminthiasis, Mass drug administration, School age children, Ghana
Received: 30 Dec 2024; Accepted: 21 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 BARRY, Andah, SIDIBE, Delamou and Dako-Gyeke. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Lansana BARRY, Centre de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Mafèrinyah, Conakry, Guinea
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