Knowledge and behavior of the liver fluke prevention at risk populations in Sakon Nakhon Province

Abstract

Objective : The purposes of this study were 1) to examine the level of knowledge from risk populations about liver fluke disease at Sakon Nakhon Province and 2) to examine behaviors to protect liver fluke disease from risk populations at Sakon Nakhon Province and 3) to study the relationship between the level of knowledge about liver fluke disease and behaviors to protect liver fluke disease from risk populations at Sakon Nakhon Province.

Materials and methods of study: This was the Cross-sectional Descriptive Study by the study population aged 15 over and lives in Sakhon Nakhon Province. Conducted the study from 6 months over during the period May - July 2022.

Results : A total of  440 person of the study were as follows: Most of the samples were female 63.40%, age between 45-54 years. The level of knowledge about liver fluke disease was mostly high 60.68%, dietary behaviors in prevention of liver fluke disease were mostly at the level of moderate 47.05%.The group samples sometime also consumed papaya salad with raw fermented fish, Minced Pickled Fish chili paste, Jaew Bong Raw Pickled Fish 50 percent, 49.77, 49.32 and 45.91 percent, respectively. Some people still defecate in the rice field. The behavior of receiving fecal examination services to look for parasite eggs was found defecate examination behavior are moderate, the treatment behavior of liver fluke (Praziqualtel) from public health facilities are low and the behavior of receiving screening for cancer risk from service place are moderate. The relationship between knowledge and food consumption behavior was found a statistically significant correlation at the 0.001 level, with a very low correlation (r= .124). The relationship between knowledge and behavior in preventing liver fluke disease was found a statistically significant correlation at the 0.001 level with a low correlation (r = 0.295).

Conclusions : Although the preventive behaviors of liver leaf nurses were at a high level but the results of the survey of liver fluke infection, The average prevalence was 8.2 percent, which exceeds the standard set by the Ministry of Public Health that not more than 5 percent. This research therefore plays an important role in assessing the situation of disease transmission, this let to know the causes of behavioral risk of liver fluke infection among people in the area and can be used for further public health operations.