Adult Perceptions of Schistosomiasis, Mass Drug Administration and Praziquantel - An Ethnographic Study, 2019

Elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem in all endemic countries is the international goal stated in the WHO Neglected Tropical Disease Roadmap for 2021–2030. The primary method of schistosomiasis control for meeting this goal is preventative chemotherapy programmes that utilise community or school based Mass Drug Administration of the drug praziquantel. Uganda was at the forefront of preventative control programme implementation but within the country hotspots of schistosomiasis infection remain. An overemphasis on regular treatment, without comprehensively addressing factors that result in poor uptake of treatment in these high-risk populations is likely to impact the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem.

The data are the English language anonymised transcripts from an ethnographic study involving adult participants from Hoima District, Uganda - a known hotspot of schistosomiasis transmission. The aim of the study was determine the understanding and perceptions of schistosomiasis and its impact within this transmission hotspot. The study also aimed to determine the facilitating and limiting factors associated with the preventative chemotherapy control programme. The study involved focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with adult members of two communities in Hoima District and key informant interviews with stakeholders in Hoima District's control programme.