Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41026720›Full record

Trial reportPLoS neglected tropical diseases2025

Effect of behavioral interventions on schistosomiasis-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices of schoolchildren in Pemba, Tanzania: A 4-year repeated cross-sectional study.

Naomi Chi Ndum, Lydia Trippler, Ulfat Amour Mohammed, Mohammed Nassor Ali, Jan Hattendorf, Shaali Makame Ame, Fatma Kabole, Jürg Utzinger, Said Mohammed Ali, Stefanie Knopp

Abstract readClinical TrialMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Naomi Chi NdumSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Lydia TripplerSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Ulfat Amour MohammedPublic Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, Pemba, United Republic of Tanzania.
Mohammed Nassor AliPublic Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, Pemba, United Republic of Tanzania.
Jan HattendorfSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Shaali Makame AmeMinistry of Health, Zanzibar Town, Unguja, United Republic of Tanzania.
Fatma KaboleMinistry of Health, Zanzibar Town, Unguja, United Republic of Tanzania.
Jürg UtzingerSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.
Said Mohammed AliPublic Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, Pemba, United Republic of Tanzania.
Stefanie KnoppSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-5707-7963

Funding

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (ESKAS)Swiss National Science FoundationSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSchistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that mostly affects school-age children in sub-Saharan Africa. Preventive chemotherapy is the mainstay of control. Other interventions, including behavior change communication (BCC), are recommended to reduce transmission and ultimately achieve elimination. We determined the effect of BCC interventions on schistosomiasis-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among children who were exposed to different BCC intervention frequencies and durations within the 4-year SchistoBreak project in Pemba, Tanzania. METHODOLOGY: Annual surveys were carried out from 2020 to 2024 in 18 primary schools. Schistosomiasis-related KAP were assessed in randomly selected children attending grades 3-5. BCC interventions were implemented for one period (4 schools), two periods without gap (3 schools), two periods with a 1-year gap (1 school), or never (10 schools). Linear and logistic mixed-models with random effect were applied to assess associations between BCC exposure categories as predictors and knowledge or attitude scores, or unsafe washing practices as the outcome variable in 2024. PRINCIPAL

findingsA total of 4196 children participated in the surveys. Knowledge and attitude improved with continuous or repeated exposure to BCC interventions. In 2024, the knowledge scores were significantly higher in children who received BCC intervention once (difference: 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6-1.9) or twice (difference: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.4-2.7), as compared to children who never received BCC interventions. Children who were exposed to BCC interventions twice (difference: 1.2, 95% CI: 0.8-1.6) had significantly higher attitude scores in 2024. Washing practices improved regardless of whether or not children were exposed to BCC. The washing platforms installed in intervention areas were known by up to half of the children exposed to BCC interventions, but their use was considerably lower, varying between 7.5% and 43.1%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrated that BCC interventions were able to improve schistosomiasis-related knowledge and attitudes in schoolchildren. Repeated BCC interventions might be required for sustainable long-term impact.

trial registrationISRCTN, ISRCTN91431493. Registered 11 February. 2020, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN91431493.

Indexed as

CommunicationHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeSchistosomiasis haematobiaStudentsChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHealth BehaviorHumansLongitudinal StudiesMalePrevalenceSchistosoma haematobiumSchoolsSurveys and QuestionnairesTanzania

Identifiers

PMID41026720
PMCPMC12483267

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.