{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T13:03:03Z","timestamp":1788958983920,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,26]],"date-time":"2022-09-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1664150400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo","award":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"]}]},{"name":"Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo","award":["81068189"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["81068189"]}]},{"name":"World Bank","award":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"]}]},{"name":"World Bank","award":["81068189"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["81068189"]}]},{"name":"UK aid","award":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"]}]},{"name":"UK aid","award":["81068189"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["81068189"]}]},{"name":"M\u00e9decins sans Fronti\u00e8res","award":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"]}]},{"name":"M\u00e9decins sans Fronti\u00e8res","award":["81068189"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["81068189"]}]},{"name":"Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)","award":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P147555\/D4390 ZR"]}]},{"name":"Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)","award":["81068189"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["81068189"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diseases"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The number of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has significantly reduced, thanks to more effective drugs and screening tools and regular mass screening. However, this potentially jeopardizes HAT control activities, especially community engagement. Methods: We used an ecological model framework to understand how various factors shape communities\u2019 knowledge, perceptions, and behavior in this low endemicity context. Community members, frontline health providers, and policymakers were consulted using an ethnographic approach. Results: Communities in endemic areas are knowledgeable about causes, symptoms, and treatment of HAT, but this was more limited among young people. Few are aware of new HAT treatment or screening techniques. Participation in mass screening has declined due to many factors including fear and a lack of urgency, given the low numbers of cases. Delays in seeking medical care are due to confusion of HAT symptoms with those of other diseases and belief that HAT is caused by witchcraft. Conclusions: Community members see their role more in terms of vector control than participation in screening, referral, or accepting treatment. We propose recommendations for achieving sustainable community engagement, including development of an information and communication strategy and empowerment of communities to take greater ownership of HAT control activities.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diseases10040069","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,27]],"date-time":"2022-09-27T23:12:12Z","timestamp":1664320332000},"page":"69","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Communities\u2019 Perception, Knowledge, and Practices Related to Human African Trypanosomiasis in the Democratic Republic of Congo"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Charlie","family":"Kabanga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Consultant, Welwyn AL6 0DS, Hertfordshire, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3898-1014","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olaf","family":"Valverde Mordt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Drugs for Neglected Diseases <i>initiative<\/i>, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0402-5400","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Florent","family":"Mbo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Drugs for Neglected Diseases <i>initiative<\/i>, Quartier Socimat, Gombe, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Medard","family":"Mbondo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Consultant, Quartier Ngansele, Mont Ngafula, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Donatien","family":"Olela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Social, Politic and Administrative Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa P.O. Box 127, Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rinelle","family":"Etinkum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Deutsche Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Gombe, Kinshasa P.O. Box 7555, Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dieudonne","family":"Nkaji","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Social, Politic and Administrative Sciences, Department of Anthropology, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa P.O. Box 127,  Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bienvenu","family":"Mukoso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Social, Politic and Administrative Sciences, Department of Anthropology, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa P.O. Box 127,  Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lubanza","family":"Mananasi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Social, Politic and Administrative Sciences, Department of Anthropology, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa P.O. Box 127,  Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2000). WHO Report on Global Surveillance of Epidemic-Prone Infectious Diseases."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2019). WHO Interim Guidelines for the Treatment of Gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mpanya, A., Hendrickx, D., Baloji, S., Lumbala, C., da Luz, R.I., Boelaert, M., and Lutumba, P. (2015). 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