{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,27]],"date-time":"2026-04-27T14:48:34Z","timestamp":1777301314643,"version":"3.51.4"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0009893","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2021,11,8]],"date-time":"2021-11-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1636329600000}}],"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,27]],"date-time":"2021-10-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1635292800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100009187","name":"Medical Research Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MR\/P025447\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MR\/P025447\/1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100009187","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000781","name":"European Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["688088"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["688088"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000781","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000266","name":"Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["EP\/R01437X\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EP\/R01437X\/1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000266","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000266","name":"Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["EP\/T003618\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EP\/T003618\/1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000266","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100004440","name":"Wellcome Trust","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["204820\/Z\/16\/Z"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["204820\/Z\/16\/Z"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100004440","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Over 240 million people are infected with schistosomiasis, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, high infection rates exist in communities on the shores of Lake Victoria. Praziquantel mass drug administration (MDA) delivered by village health teams is the mainstay of schistosomiasis control. However, treatment uptake remains suboptimal, with many people unaware of treatment or thinking it is only for children. Furthermore, people are often rapidly reinfected post-treatment due to continued exposure. In three <jats:italic>Schistosoma mansoni<\/jats:italic> high endemicity lake-shore communities in Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda, we investigated the sources of schistosomiasis information, remembered content of information, and the perception of information and related practices towards the control of schistosomiasis.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods and principal findings<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Data were collected from September 2017 to March 2018 using a rapid ethnographic assessment that included transect walks, observations, individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analysed thematically using iterative categorisation. We found that the main sources of schistosomiasis information included health workers at government facilities, village health teams, teachers, and radio programmes produced by the Ministry of Health. These messages described the symptoms of schistosomiasis, but did not mention the side effects of praziquantel treatment. Despite this messaging, the main cause of the disease and transmission was unclear to most participants. The translation of schistosomiasis on the radio into the local language \u2018<jats:italic>ekidada\u2019<\/jats:italic>\u2014meaning swollen stomach\u2014increased, rather than reduced, confusion about the cause(s) of schistosomiasis, due to believed links between <jats:italic>ekidada<\/jats:italic> and witchcraft, and prompted a reluctance to engage with treatment or preventative efforts.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion and significance<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study highlights gaps in schistosomiasis messaging. We recommend MDA is complemented by effective, evidence-based messaging on schistosomiasis transmission, prevention, and treatment, that is sensitive to local language and context issues, resulting in clear, concise, and consistent messages, to increase effectiveness.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0009893","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,27]],"date-time":"2021-10-27T17:40:15Z","timestamp":1635356415000},"page":"e0009893","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Schistosomiasis messaging in endemic communities: Lessons and implications for interventions from rural Uganda, a rapid ethnographic assessment study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4801-0411","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Agnes","family":"Ssali","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1240-4059","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Lucy","family":"Pickering","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Edith","family":"Nalwadda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lazaaro","family":"Mujumbusi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0583-5272","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Janet","family":"Seeley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1048-6318","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Poppy H. 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Schistosomiasis. 2019; https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/schistosomiasis [accessed 10\/09\/21]."},{"key":"pntd.0009893.ref003","volume-title":"Health in 2015: from MDGs, millennium development goals to SDGs, sustainable development goals","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2015"},{"key":"pntd.0009893.ref004","volume-title":"Integrating neglected tropical diseases into global health and development: fourth WHO report on neglected tropical diseases","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2017"},{"issue":"8","key":"pntd.0009893.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0007572","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0007572","article-title":"Is there a gap between health education content and practice toward schistosomiasis prevention among schoolchildren along the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya?","volume":"13","author":"R. 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