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A Community Based Survey of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Concerning Leishmaniasis in Central Morocco

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Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a major health problem caused by a protozoan of the genus Leishmania, most commonly transmitted by infected female sand flies. Intersectoral collaboration is essential for the implementation of integrated vector management control with community participation. The present study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of the population toward leishmaniasis in central Morocco. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using an administered questionnaire assisted by health professionals, on 750 people in the Marrakech Safi, endemic region of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Of those, 702 agreed to be recruited for our study, of which 63,5% were women, 48,1% were aged between 18 and 40 years, and more than half of the participants (60%) were from rural areas. Overall, the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAPs) for leishmaniasis are too poor for more than 85% of the population in the study area. Basic knowledge and perceptions of leishmaniasis were good for 14,6% of respondents. While, 4,5% of the members had good knowledge of CL, only 0,7% had good level of knowledge about vesciral leishmaniasis (VL). Furthermore 3,7% of those polled have favorable attitudes and preventive practices. No association was found between knowledge and age, province or occupation. However, rural residents were four times more likely than urbain residents to have good basic knowledge (ORA = 4,74; CI95%: 1,04 -22,05). In addition, the female gender also has the chance to possess good basic knowledge and perceptions 3 times more than the men (ORA = 3,18; CI95%: 1,16 -8,69). The low level of KAPs regarding leishmaniasis proves the lack of community participation in the fight against leishmaniasis in central Morocco.

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The work described has not been published previously, or under consideration for publication elsewhere.

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Acknowledgements

Authors thank warmly Nadia Hachoumi for English revision.

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbial Biotechnologies, Agrosciences and Environment Laboratory (BioMAgE), Research Unit Labelled CNRST N°4, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco

    Amane Mounia, Echchakery Mohamed, Hafidi Mohamed & Boussaa Samia

  2. Epidemiology and Biomedical Unit, Laboratory of Sciences and Health Technologies, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Hassan First University of Settat, Settat, Morocco

    Echchakery Mohamed

  3. Ministry of Health and Social Protection, ISPITS-Higher Institute of Nursing and Technical Health Occupations, Rabat, Morocco

    Boussaa Samia

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  1. Amane Mounia
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Amane Mounia: Performed the article; Analysed and interpreted the data; Wrote the paper. Boussaa Samia: Conceived and designed the research; Analysed and interpreted the data and revised the manuscript. Echchakery Mohamed: revised the manuscript. Hafidi Mohamed: revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Amane Mounia.

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Mounia, A., Mohamed, E., Mohamed, H. et al. A Community Based Survey of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Concerning Leishmaniasis in Central Morocco. J Community Health 47, 932–942 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-022-01126-z

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