{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,28]],"date-time":"2026-02-28T08:26:01Z","timestamp":1772267161683,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,12]],"date-time":"2022-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1660262400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000265","name":"Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MR\/S03286X\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MR\/S03286X\/1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000265","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosglobalpublichealth.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLOS Glob Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The parasites causing malaria, soil-transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis frequently co-exist in children living in low-and middle-income countries, where existing vertical control programmes for the control of these diseases are not operating at optimal levels. This gap necessitates the development and implementation of strategic interventions to achieve effective control and eventual elimination of these co-infections. Central to the successful implementation of any intervention is its acceptance and uptake by caregivers whose perception about the risk for malaria-helminth co-infection has been little documented. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative study to understand the caregivers\u2019 perspectives about the risk as well as the behavioural and social risk factors promoting malaria-helminth co-infection among pre-school and school-age children living in endemic rural and urban communities in Senegal. In June and December 2021, we conducted individual and group interviews, and participant observations, among 100 primary caregivers of children recruited from Saraya villages in southeast Senegal and among leaders and teachers of Koranic schools in Diourbel, western Senegal. Our findings showed that a majority of the study participants in the two settings demonstrated a high level of perception of risk for malaria and acceptable awareness about handwashing practices, but had misconceptions that malaria-helminth co-infection was due to a combination of excessive consumption of sugary food and mosquito bites. Our observations revealed many factors in the house structures, toilet practices and handwashing with ashes and sands, which the caregivers did not consider as risks for malaria-helminth co-infections. These findings underscore the need to promote caregivers\u2019 awareness about the existence and risk of malaria-helminth co-infection in children. This approach would assist in addressing the caregivers\u2019 misconceptions about the occurrence of the co-infection and could enhance their uptake of the strategic interventions targeted at achieving control and subsequent elimination of malaria and helminth co-infection.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000525","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,12]],"date-time":"2022-08-12T13:29:53Z","timestamp":1660310993000},"page":"e0000525","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Caregivers\u2019 perception of risk for malaria, helminth infection and malaria-helminth co-infection among children living in urban and rural settings of Senegal: A qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"2","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9967-6419","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Muhammed O.","family":"Afolabi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9533-2360","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Nd\u00e8ye Mareme","family":"Sougou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7721-3790","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Aminata","family":"Diaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Doudou","family":"Sow","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Isaac A.","family":"Manga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3397-8369","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Ibrahima","family":"Mbaye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Brian","family":"Greenwood","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jean Louis A.","family":"Ndiaye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref001","unstructured":"World malaria report 2021. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.who.int\/teams\/global-malaria-programme\/reports\/world-malaria-report-2021. Accessed 7 Dec 2021."},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"344","DOI":"10.1186\/s13071-016-1594-2","article-title":"Plasmodium falciparum and soil-transmitted helminth co-infections among children in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"9","author":"A Degarege","year":"2016","journal-title":"Parasit Vectors"},{"issue":"12","key":"pgph.0000525.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0005193","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005193","article-title":"Plasmodium falciparum Infection Status among Children with Schistosoma in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis","volume":"10","author":"A Degarege","year":"2016","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3083568","DOI":"10.1155\/2016\/3083568","article-title":"Epidemiology of Plasmodium and Helminth Coinfection and Possible Reasons for Heterogeneity","volume":"2016","author":"A Degarege","year":"2016","journal-title":"Biomed Res Int"},{"issue":"6","key":"pgph.0000525.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2007.77.88","article-title":"Epidemiology of Plasmodium-Helminth Co-Infection in Africa: Populations at Risk, Potential Impact on Anemia, and Prospects for Combining Control","volume":"77","author":"S Brooker","year":"2007","journal-title":"The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene"},{"issue":"6","key":"pgph.0000525.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e245","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0000245","article-title":"The synergistic effect of concomitant schistosomiasis, hookworm, and trichuris infections on children\u2019s anemia burden","volume":"2","author":"AE Ezeamama","year":"2008","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0005524","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005524","article-title":"Cognitive deficits and educational loss in children with schistosome infection-A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"12","author":"AE Ezeamama","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"7","key":"pgph.0000525.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e270","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0000270","article-title":"Tropical anemia: one of Africa\u2019s great killers and a rationale for linking malaria and neglected tropical disease control to achieve a common goal","volume":"2","author":"PJ Hotez","year":"2008","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref009","unstructured":"Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021\u20132030. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO."},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref010","unstructured":"London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases. Retrieved from https:\/\/unitingtocombatntds.org\/resource-hub\/who-resources\/london-declaration-neglected-tropical-diseases\/. Accessed 10 March 2022."},{"issue":"10265","key":"pgph.0000525.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1829","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)32227-3","article-title":"Effectiveness of seasonal malaria chemoprevention at scale in west and central Africa: an observational study","volume":"396","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet (London, England)"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1839","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-020-09958-x","article-title":"Perception and attitudinal factors contributing to periodic deworming of preschool children in an urban slum, Nigeria","volume":"20","author":"P Eze","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"8","key":"pgph.0000525.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0160234","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0160234","article-title":"Malaria Related Perceptions, Care Seeking after Onset of Fever and Anti-Malarial Drug Use in Malaria Endemic Settings of Southwest Ethiopia","volume":"11","author":"Z Birhanu","year":"2016","journal-title":"PloS one"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-017-1798-8","article-title":"Caregivers\u2019 perception of malaria and treatment-seeking behaviour for under five children in Mandura District, West Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study","volume":"16","author":"I Mitiku","year":"2017","journal-title":"Malar J"},{"issue":"2","key":"pgph.0000525.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"446","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.21-0362","article-title":"Healthcare Seeking and Access to Care for Pneumonia, Sepsis, Meningitis, and Malaria in Rural Gambia","volume":"106","author":"I Hossain","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-018-2845-z","article-title":"Exploring health care seeking knowledge, perceptions and practices for childhood diarrhea and pneumonia and their context in a rural Pakistani community","volume":"18","author":"W Aftab","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"734","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-019-4253-3","article-title":"Knowledge, attitudes and practices on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths among caregivers in Ingwavuma area in uMkhanyakude district, South Africa","volume":"19","author":"H Sacolo-Gwebu","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Infectious Diseases"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1177\/109019818401100101","article-title":"The health belief model: a decade later","volume":"11","author":"NK Janz","year":"1984","journal-title":"Health Educ Q"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref019","first-page":"45","volume-title":"Health behavior and health education: theory, research, and practice","author":"VL Champion","year":"2008"},{"issue":"3","key":"pgph.0000525.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"401","DOI":"10.1016\/S0001-2092(06)61798-5","article-title":"The concept of informed consent in qualitative research","volume":"74","author":"M. Byrne","year":"2001","journal-title":"AORN journal"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref021","unstructured":"Malaria in Senegal: Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from https:\/\/www.severemalaria.org\/countries\/senegal-0. Accessed 10 March 2022."},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref022","unstructured":"Senegal | ESPEN\u2014World Health Organization. Retrieved from https:\/\/espen.afro.who.int\/countries\/senegal. Accessed 10 March 2022."},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref023","first-page":"282","volume-title":"Case study research: design and methods","author":"RK Yin","year":"2014","edition":"5"},{"issue":"9","key":"pgph.0000525.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1245","DOI":"10.1097\/ACM.0000000000000388","article-title":"Standards for reporting qualitative research: a synthesis of recommendations","volume":"89","author":"BC O\u2019Brien","year":"2014","journal-title":"Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/0147-1767(85)90062-8","volume-title":"Naturalistic inquiry","author":"Y Lincoln","year":"1985"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"388","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2648.2004.03207.x","article-title":"Methodological rigour within a qualitative framework","volume":"48","author":"GA Tobin","year":"2004","journal-title":"Journal of Advanced Nursing"},{"issue":"12","key":"pgph.0000525.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0008938","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008938","article-title":"Prevalence, risk factors and health consequences of soil-transmitted helminth infection on the Bijagos Islands, Guinea Bissau: A community-wide cross-sectional study","volume":"14","author":"O Farrant","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS Negl Trop Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref028","first-page":"76","article-title":"Prevalence & risk factors for soil transmitted helminth infection among school children in south India","volume":"139","author":"D Kattula","year":"2014","journal-title":"The Indian journal of medical research"},{"issue":"4","key":"pgph.0000525.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1016\/j.idh.2018.07.004","article-title":"The influence of religious and cultural beliefs on hand hygiene behaviour in the United Arab Emirates","volume":"23","author":"N Wai Khuan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Infection, Disease & Health"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"216","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118846810.ch31","article-title":"Religion and Hand Hygiene","author":"JA Al-Tawfiq","year":"2017","journal-title":"Hand Hygiene"},{"issue":"10117","key":"pgph.0000525.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"252","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(17)31930-X","article-title":"Soil-transmitted helminth infections","volume":"391","author":"PM Jourdan","year":"2018","journal-title":"The Lancet"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref032","first-page":"11","article-title":"Socio cultural determinants of treatment delay for childhood malaria in southern Ghana","author":"CSK Ahorlu","year":"2006","journal-title":"Tropical Medicine & International Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0000525.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1064","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-021-11106-y","article-title":"Low awareness and common misconceptions about schistosomiasis in endemic lowland areas in Western Ethiopia: a mixed-methods study","volume":"21","author":"A Assefa","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"pgph.0000525.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1475-2875-14-1","article-title":"Caregivers\u2019 treatment-seeking behaviour for children under age five in malaria-endemic areas of rural Myanmar: a cross-sectional study","volume":"14","author":"MM Thandar","year":"2015","journal-title":"Malar J"}],"container-title":["PLOS Global Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000525","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,12]],"date-time":"2022-08-12T13:30:34Z","timestamp":1660311034000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000525"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Peter Bai","family":"James","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,12]]},"references-count":34,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,12]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.0000525","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1101\/2022.05.10.22274631","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["2767-3375"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2767-3375","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,12]]}}}