{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,18]],"date-time":"2026-07-18T06:27:22Z","timestamp":1784356042642,"version":"3.55.0"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008825","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,16]],"date-time":"2020-12-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1608076800000}}],"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,4]],"date-time":"2020-12-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1607040000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["APP1127300"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["APP1127300"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["APP1127300"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["APP1127300"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["APP1127300"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["APP1127300"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["APP1127300"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["APP1127300"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["APP1153727P"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["APP1153727P"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["APP1153727P"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["APP1153727P"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000925","name":"National Health and Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["APP1153727P"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["APP1153727P"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000925","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Scabies is endemic in Fiji and is a significant cause of morbidity. Little is known about the sociocultural beliefs and practices that affect the occurrence of scabies and impetigo, or community attitudes towards the strategy of mass drug administration that is emerging as a public health option for scabies and impetigo control in Fiji and other countries. Data were collected during semi-structured interviews with 33 community members in four locations in Fiji\u2019s Northern Division. Thematic analysis examined participants\u2019 lived experiences of scabies and impetigo; community knowledge and perceptions about scabies and impetigo aetiology and transmission; community-based treatment and prevention measures; and attitudes towards mass drug administration. Many indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) participants noted extensive and ongoing experience of scabies and impetigo among children in their families and communities, but only one participant of Indian descent (Indo-Fijian) identified personal childhood experience of scabies. Scabies and impetigo were perceived as diseases affecting children, impacting on school attendance and families\u2019 quality of sleep. Awareness of scabies and impetigo was considerable, but there were major misconceptions around disease causation and transmission. Traditional remedies were preferred for scabies treatment, followed by biomedicines provided by local health centres and hospitals. Treatment of close household contacts was not prioritised. Attitudes towards mass drug administration to control scabies were mostly positive, although some concerns were noted about adverse effects and hesitation to participate in the planned scabies elimination programme. Findings from this first study to document perspectives and experiences related to scabies and impetigo and their management in the Asia Pacific region illustrate that a community-centred approach to scabies and impetigo is needed for the success of control efforts in Fiji, and most likely in other affected countries. This includes community-based health promotion messaging on the social dynamics of scabies transmission, and a campaign of education and community engagement prior to mass drug administration.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008825","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,4]],"date-time":"2020-12-04T20:30:31Z","timestamp":1607113831000},"page":"e0008825","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":26,"title":["Community perspectives on scabies, impetigo and mass drug administration in Fiji: A qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3048-4160","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Elke","family":"Mitchell","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2877-9231","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Stephen","family":"Bell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Li Jun","family":"Thean","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aalisha","family":"Sahukhan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mike","family":"Kama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aminiasi","family":"Koroivueti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"John","family":"Kaldor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7346-0196","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Andrew","family":"Steer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9038-5300","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Lucia","family":"Romani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,4]]},"reference":[{"issue":"9524","key":"pntd.0008825.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1767","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(06)68772-2","article-title":"Scabies","volume":"367","author":"J Heukelbach","year":"2006","journal-title":"The Lancet"},{"issue":"8","key":"pntd.0008825.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"960","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(15)00132-2","article-title":"Prevalence of scabies and impetigo worldwide: a systematic review","volume":"15","author":"L Romani","year":"2015","journal-title":"The Lancet Infectious Diseases"},{"issue":"24","key":"pntd.0008825.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2305","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa1500987","article-title":"Mass Drug Administration for Scabies Control in a Population with Endemic Disease","volume":"373","author":"L Romani","year":"2015","journal-title":"New England Journal of Medicine"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0008825.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0003452","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0003452","article-title":"Scabies and Impetigo Prevalence and Risk Factors in Fiji: A National Survey","volume":"9","author":"L Romani","year":"2015","journal-title":"PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases"},{"issue":"4","key":"pntd.0008825.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"493","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3156.2006.01809.x","article-title":"Clinical features and associated morbidity of scabies in a rural community in Alagoas, Brazil","volume":"12","author":"A Jackson","year":"2007","journal-title":"Tropical Medicine & International Health"},{"issue":"12","key":"pntd.0008825.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"923","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2006.10.019","article-title":"Socio-demographic characteristics of children infested with scabies in densely populated communities of residential madrashas (Islamic education institutes) in Dhaka, Bangladesh","volume":"121","author":"SA Karim","year":"2007","journal-title":"Public Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pntd.0008825.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111","DOI":"10.1097\/QCO.0b013e328336821b","article-title":"Scabies in healthcare settings","volume":"23","author":"S Bouvresse","year":"2010","journal-title":"Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0008825.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"845","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.16-0753","article-title":"The Epidemiology of Scabies and Impetigo in Relation to Demographic and Residential Characteristics: Baseline Findings from the Skin Health Intervention Fiji Trial","volume":"97","author":"L Romani","year":"2017","journal-title":"The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0008825.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2008.11.005","article-title":"The epidemiology of scabies in an impoverished community in rural Brazil: Presence and severity of disease are associated with poor living conditions and illiteracy","volume":"60","author":"H Feldmeier","year":"2009","journal-title":"Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref010","volume-title":"Neglected tropical diseases Geneva","author":"WHO","year":"2019"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref011","volume-title":"Epidemiology and Management of Common Skin Diseases in Children in Developing Countries","author":"WHO","year":"2005"},{"issue":"6","key":"pntd.0008825.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"927","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciy574","article-title":"Randomized Trial of Community Treatment With Azithromycin and Ivermectin Mass Drug Administration for Control of Scabies and Impetigo","volume":"68","author":"M Marks","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0008825.ref013","first-page":"34","article-title":"Control of scabies, skin sores and haematuria in children in the Solomon Islands: another role for ivermectin","volume":"83","author":"G Lawrence","year":"2005","journal-title":"Bull World Health Organ"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0008825.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"510","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(18)30790-4","article-title":"Efficacy of mass drug administration with ivermectin for control of scabies and impetigo, with coadministration of azithromycin: a single-arm community intervention trial","volume":"19","author":"L Romani","year":"2019","journal-title":"The Lancet Infectious Diseases"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"299","DOI":"10.1186\/1756-3305-5-299","article-title":"Soil transmitted helminths and scabies in Zanzibar, Tanzania following mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis\u2014a rapid assessment methodology to assess impact","volume":"5","author":"KA Mohammed","year":"2012","journal-title":"Parasit Vectors"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref016","first-page":"574327","article-title":"Perceptions, attitudes and practices towards scabies in communities on the Bijag\u00f3s Islands, Guinea-Bissau","author":"MJ Lopes","year":"2019","journal-title":"bioRxiv"},{"issue":"7","key":"pntd.0008825.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0005820","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0005820","article-title":"Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards yaws and yaws-like skin disease in Ghana","volume":"11","author":"M Marks","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/1475-2883-6-1","article-title":"Qualitative analysis of the impact of a lymphatic filariasis elimination programme using mass drug administration on Misima Island, Papua New Guinea","volume":"6","author":"S Wynd","year":"2007","journal-title":"Filaria J"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0008825.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"504","DOI":"10.1080\/13691058.2019.1614669","article-title":"Young women\u2019s perceptions and experiences of sexual risk in Suva, Fiji","volume":"22","author":"E Mitchell","year":"2020","journal-title":"Culture, Health & Sexuality"},{"issue":"6","key":"pntd.0008825.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"538","DOI":"10.1521\/aeap.2019.31.6.538","article-title":"Barriers and Enablers to HIV Care Among Waria (Transgender Women) in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study","volume":"31","author":"E Mitchell","year":"2019","journal-title":"AIDS Education and Prevention"},{"issue":"54","key":"pntd.0008825.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1080\/09688080.2018.1512297","article-title":"Youth-centred research to help prevent and mitigate the adverse health and social impacts of pregnancy amongst young Papua New Guineans","volume":"26","author":"S Bell","year":"2018","journal-title":"Reproductive Health Matters"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref022","volume-title":"2017 Population and Housing Census","author":"Fiji Bureau of Statistics","year":"2018"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref023","unstructured":"United Nations Development Programme. Human Development Reports: Table 1. Human Development Index and its components: United Nations Development Programme; 2019 [cited 2019 5th November]. http:\/\/hdr.undp.org\/en\/composite\/HDI."},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref024","unstructured":"World Health Organization. Countries: Fiji: World Health Organization; 2019 [cited 2019 5th November]. https:\/\/www.who.int\/countries\/fji\/en\/."},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315730592","volume-title":"Monitoring and evaluation in health and social development","author":"S Bell","year":"2016"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref026","volume-title":"Qualitative research and evaluation methods","author":"MQ Patton","year":"2002","edition":"3"},{"issue":"4","key":"pntd.0008825.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1177\/109019818801500401","article-title":"An Ecological Perspective on Health Promotion Programs","volume":"15","author":"KR McLeroy","year":"1988","journal-title":"Health Education Quarterly"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1186\/s41182-017-0075-4","article-title":"Overview of PacELF-the Pacific Programme for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis","volume":"45","author":"K Ichimori","year":"2017","journal-title":"Trop Med Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0008825.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"275","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-4632.2011.05017.x","article-title":"Impaired quality of life in adults and children with scabies from an impoverished community in Brazil","volume":"51","author":"C Worth","year":"2012","journal-title":"International Journal of Dermatology"},{"key":"pntd.0008825.ref030","volume-title":"Fiji Guidelines for Sore Throat and Skin Disease: Diagnostic and Treatment Guidelines October 2018","author":"Ministry of Health and Medical Services","year":"2018"}],"updated-by":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008825","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,16]],"date-time":"2020-12-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1608076800000}}],"container-title":["PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008825","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,16]],"date-time":"2020-12-16T21:50:37Z","timestamp":1608155437000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008825"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira","family":"Velho","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,4]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,4]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008825","relation":{"new_version":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0008825","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1935-2735"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1935-2735","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,4]]}}}