Effect of Community Health Education Intervention on Prevalence and Pig Farmers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Porcine Cysticercosis in Selected Areas of Tanzania

Résumé fourni par la source

Porcine cysticercosis (PCC) is a food‐borne zoonotic disease prevalent in resource‐poor rural communities with free‐range pig management systems and low sanitation practices. Various prevention and control strategies have been implemented in Tanzania, with this study highlighting the importance of community‐based health education in controlling the Taenia solium parasite. The study evaluated the effectiveness of community‐based health education using a cocreated health education package (HEP) on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of smallholder farmers, as well as on the prevalence of PCC in Kongwa and Songwe Districts, Tanzania. A cluster‐randomized health education intervention was conducted between June 2019 and December 2021, with pre‐ and postintervention evaluations of PCC prevalence and smallholder farmers’ KAP. A baseline cross‐sectional study was followed by health education training utilizing the HEP, which included brochures, booklets, and posters. The training was provided to trainers (TOT) who, in turn, trained the community. A commercial Ag‐ELISA kit (apDia, Belgium) was used to identify circulating antigens in pig serum and determine the PCC prevalence both before and after the intervention. A total of 692 and 486 respondents participated in face‐to‐face interviews during the baseline and postintervention periods, respectively. Concurrently, 692 and 317 pigs were sampled during these periods. At baseline, the seroprevalence of PCC was 10.2% in the intervention group and 9.1% in the control group. Twelve months following the health education intervention, the study observed significant improvements in knowledge ( β = 1.779, p = 0.004), attitudes ( β = 1.024, p = 0.038), and practices ( β = 0.719, p = 0.023) among participants. Additionally, a reduction in PCC prevalence was observed—3.9% in the intervention group and 0.9% in the control group—though this difference was not statistically significant (OR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.27–1.83; p = 0.47). The reduction in PCC is a gradual process that likely requires a longer observation period to yield a measurable impact. The limited duration of follow‐up may have constrained the study’s ability to conclusively attribute the observed decline in PCC seroprevalence to the intervention. Evidence suggests that a comprehensive strategy targeting both intermediate and definitive hosts is essential. Therefore, future health education interventions should integrate mass drug administration for pigs and treatment of human taeniosis—an approach that could be effective in disrupting the lifecycle of Taenia solium .

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