TY - JOUR
T1 - Fascioliasis in north-central Vietnam: Assessing community knowledge, attitudes, and practices
AU - Quang, Vinh Hoang
AU - Levecke, Bruno
AU - Do Trung, Dung
AU - Thi Lam, Binh Vu
AU - Dung, Le Thuy
AU - Nguyen, Thuy Duc
AU - Tuyen, Tran Thi
AU - Nguyen, Hien Thi Thu
AU - Ha, Nguyen Ngoc
AU - Devleesschauwer, Brecht
AU - Goossens, Kathy
AU - de Jong, Theodorus
AU - Paredis, Linda
AU - De Wilde, Nathalie
AU - Polman, Katja
AU - Callens, Steven
AU - Dorny, Pierre
AU - Dermauw, Veronique
N1 - FTX; DOAJ; CC BY
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - BACKGROUND: Fascioliasis, caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, is a zoonotic disease that significantly impacts public health in agricultural communities, particularly in Vietnam. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding fascioliasis among residents in a rural community in Vietnam.METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Dong Thanh commune, north-central Vietnam. A random sample of 621 households was selected, and 1,398 individuals participated in this study. All participants were interviewed to assess their KAP regarding fascioliasis. Household heads were also interviewed about household practices, including life cycle knowledge, health-seeking behavior, water and sanitation practices, livestock and crop management, and dietary habits. Descriptive statistics were used to assess KAP, and generalized linear models were applied to examine the associations between socio-demographic variables and KAP. Awareness of fascioliasis was low, with 85% (1,193/1,398) of respondents reporting no prior knowledge. Detailed understanding of transmission, symptoms, and prevention was limited. Only 9% (124/1,398) of participants could accurately identify the symptoms, while 12% (168/1,398) were knowledgeable about preventive measures. A high percentage of households treated drinking water (99%, 613/619), and consumption of raw vegetables was widespread, with 93% (1,083/1,168) of individuals and 95% of households reporting this practice. Males were less likely to engage in non-risky practices than females (odds ratio: 0.696; 95% confidence interval: 0.591-0.819). Most households (85%, 522/617) sourced plants from their parcels, and 67% (395/588) used animal manure as fertilizer.CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The study reveals significant gaps in KAP related to fascioliasis in Dong Thanh commune. There is a pressing need for targeted educational programs to enhance community awareness and promote safer practices to mitigate the risk of fascioliasis transmission. Future interventions should emphasize gender-specific education and broader community involvement to address these gaps effectively.
AB - BACKGROUND: Fascioliasis, caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, is a zoonotic disease that significantly impacts public health in agricultural communities, particularly in Vietnam. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding fascioliasis among residents in a rural community in Vietnam.METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Dong Thanh commune, north-central Vietnam. A random sample of 621 households was selected, and 1,398 individuals participated in this study. All participants were interviewed to assess their KAP regarding fascioliasis. Household heads were also interviewed about household practices, including life cycle knowledge, health-seeking behavior, water and sanitation practices, livestock and crop management, and dietary habits. Descriptive statistics were used to assess KAP, and generalized linear models were applied to examine the associations between socio-demographic variables and KAP. Awareness of fascioliasis was low, with 85% (1,193/1,398) of respondents reporting no prior knowledge. Detailed understanding of transmission, symptoms, and prevention was limited. Only 9% (124/1,398) of participants could accurately identify the symptoms, while 12% (168/1,398) were knowledgeable about preventive measures. A high percentage of households treated drinking water (99%, 613/619), and consumption of raw vegetables was widespread, with 93% (1,083/1,168) of individuals and 95% of households reporting this practice. Males were less likely to engage in non-risky practices than females (odds ratio: 0.696; 95% confidence interval: 0.591-0.819). Most households (85%, 522/617) sourced plants from their parcels, and 67% (395/588) used animal manure as fertilizer.CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The study reveals significant gaps in KAP related to fascioliasis in Dong Thanh commune. There is a pressing need for targeted educational programs to enhance community awareness and promote safer practices to mitigate the risk of fascioliasis transmission. Future interventions should emphasize gender-specific education and broader community involvement to address these gaps effectively.
KW - Humans
KW - Fascioliasis/epidemiology
KW - Vietnam/epidemiology
KW - Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
KW - Male
KW - Female
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Adult
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Animals
KW - Young Adult
KW - Adolescent
KW - Rural Population
KW - Aged
KW - Fasciola hepatica
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
UR - https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001570413800001
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013324
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013324
M3 - A1: Web of Science-article
C2 - 40690532
SN - 1935-2727
VL - 19
JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
IS - 7
M1 - e0013324
ER -