INTERVENING IN SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DIMENSIONS OF TROPICAL DISEASES CONTROL AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL CHILDREN-AN EXTRAL CURRICULA APPROACH

Abstract

Despite the remarkable advances in medical science over the years, millions of people in the developing world are still suffering from parasitic diseases which severely impede their social economic development. Among these are dracontiasis, malaria, schistosomiasis and onchocerciasis. The present methods of control which include chiefly therapeutic measures and vector control have not made much impact on the quality of life of the people concerned in endemic areas. ‘’technical inadequacies, and the constraints imposed by operational, socio-cultural, political and economic factors’’ have contributed to this failure. There is a need to utilize alternative methods of control and this study attempts to test the effectiveness of health education intervention in a rural target population. The significance of this study is that a careful analysis of human behavior which contribute to the diseases could be used to increase knowledge in search for better tools to control the diseases. The study is limited to school children and their teachers as the change agents. There is evidence that most of the inappropriate behavior that contribute to diseases and related adult problems have their roots in the practices, health beliefs and perceptions learned early in youth. Health education of children early in life, based on correct concepts and healthful practices can help to build positive health behavior and attitude. Among the objectives of this study were to examine (1) the social and behavioural factors contributing to the transmission of malaria, schistosomiasis, dracontiasis and onchocerciasis, and (2) to demonstrate the impact of educational intervention on the control of these four diseases. Baseline data was collected from 1,310 second year high school children and 50 teachers in ibarapa district of oyo state. The schools were divided into control and experimental groups for the purpose of educational intervention and evaluation. Based on the findings from the teachers and students, a curriculum on the teaching of the four diseases, which laid emphasis on experiential learning was designed for the teachers. A four-day workshop on the use of the curriculum was organized for the teachers in the experimental schools. Progress evaluation was initiated two weeks after the workshop and this continued until the final evaluation about seven months later. This length of the offered the teachers sufficient period to teach the target group and implement the various activities agreed upon during the workshop. The time also enabled the students to translate their acquired knowledge into the desired behavior and practices in the school setting. Highlights of the final evaluation revealed that All teachers attempted to accomplish their individual assignments;(2) the knowledge of the students in experimental group pertaining to the four diseases improved significantly over that of the control group;(3) there was considerable improvement in the environmental conditions of schools in the experimental group in terms of water and toilet facilities, and (4) there was an improvement in the cooperation between teachers, principals, and the parents teachers association (PTA) on matters affecting the health of the children. The extra-curricula approach to intervention utilized in this study is an innovation that could help to facilitate the introduction of health education activities in schools where the teaching of the subject is not provided for on the school timetable.