Socio-cultural and structural barriers influencing parents' knowledge and access to information on schistosomiasis in children around Ugandan lakes

Schistosomiasis prevalence among Ugandan children aged two to four stands at 36.1%, and as the paediatric treatment arpraziquantel moves toward pilot introduction, little is known about parental knowledge and information barriers around the disease in this age group.

A qualitative study using 65 in-depth interviews, ten focus group discussions and direct observation with parents/guardians, Village Health Teams (VHTs), health professionals, community leaders and district officials examined this gap across two sites, Hoima District (Lake Albert) and Bugiri (Lake Victoria), in 2022.

While parental awareness of symptoms was high, understanding of transmission and prevention was weak. VHTs were the primary information source but held inconsistent knowledge themselves. Parents wanted to learn about the new treatment via VHTs, health professionals, leaders and radio, while language barriers, illiteracy, population mobility, fear and resentment of fishing restrictions hindered information flow.

The study concludes that locally tailored campaigns delivered through trained VHTs, backed by health professionals and local leadership, are essential to help parents make informed decisions for their children’s health.