The role of health education and health promotion in the control of schistosomiasis: experiences from a 12-year intervention study in the Poyang Lake area

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to examine the short-term effects of health education and health promotion in the control of schistosomiasis, and to monitor the long-term impact on re-infection patterns. The study was carried out in six Schistosoma japonicum-endemic villages located in the Poyang Lake area. Three different interventions were implemented, namely (i) health education by means of video tapes, training in prevention of infection, and a ‘rewards/punishment’ programme for schoolchildren, (ii) promotion of an understanding of schistosomiasis and its control plus training in prevention of infection for women, and (iii) encouragement of compliance with regard to chemotherapy plus training in prevention of infection for men. The 1-year post-intervention follow-up showed that both awareness and appropriate behaviour were strengthened in all three study groups along with a significant increase in the level of knowledge on how to avoid schistosomiasis. For example, the majority of women had abandoned the practice of washing clothes in schistosome-infested water and re-infection rates were sharply reduced as a consequence. In addition, the frequency of water contact among schoolchildren decreased and remained so for the long term. Overall, the approach emphasising health education and health promotion in combination with chemotherapy was highly successful in reducing re-infection rates among inhabitants of S. japonicum-endemic villages and people's compliance with regard to chemotherapy increased significantly over the course of the study.