| dc.description.abstract | In the last few years, there has been growing
interest and research in the area of social medicine.
Today, more research is being conducted in this area in
an attempt to understand how social and cultural
factors impact on the health of people. However, for
most diseases and especially tropical diseases these
studies are in their initial stages. This study was an
attempt to identify possible social and cultural
factors related to visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar)
among the people of Tseikuru.
The study was designed to elicit as much
information on Kala-azar as the people of Tseikuru
know. This was possible through the use of a
standardized questionnaire which was administered to a
random sample of 200 heads of households. First, an
attempt was made to identify the peoples knowledge on
the cause, mode of transmission and symptoms of the
disease. Second, the peoples attitudes on the disease
as it relates to treatment and fatality were also
elicited. Of particular interest was ways in which the
disease could be treated. Third, social practices of
the people which may expose them to the disease vector
and which may impede control measures were addressed.
Analysis of the findings show that, on these
three aspects while the disease is well known by name
(xii)
to the people of Tseikuru a large number of those
interviewed (88.5 percent) did not know what causes the
disease. Paradoxically, all. the people interviewed
knew at least one or more correct symptoms of the
disease. Also majority of the respondents (91 percent)
expressed positive attitudes towards modern forms of
treatment. The analysis further show that there are
certain practices (though unknown to the people of
Tseikuru) which may expose them to higher chances of
contacting the disease. Of the 200 households
interviewed 70.5 percent had termite hills less than
200 metres from the household. This coupled with the
fact that 83 percent of the respondents did -not know
the association between termites hills and chances of
contacting the disease could be seen as a contributory
factor in exposing the people to the disease.
Given the findings in this study, it is clear
that while the people of Tseikuru feel that Kala-azar
is a fatal disease which needs to be addressed to,
majority of them do not know what causes the disease
nor do they know of some of the practices which
continuously expose them to the disease vector. | en |
