International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health
Socioeconomic burden and management practices among lymphatic filariasis patients in three endemic villages of Kano State, Nigeria
*1Dogara, M. M., 2Nock, H. I., 3Agbede, R. I. S. and 2Ndams, I. S.
*1Department of Integrated Science,Federal College of Education, P.M.B 3045, Kano, Nigeria.
2Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria, Nigeria.
3Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology,Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
*Corresponding Author: mmdogara(at)yahoo.com
Tel.: +234 806 277 2420
The socio-economic and management practices of acute and chronic symptoms of lymphatic filariasis were determined among twenty five randomly selected persons with such symptoms for a year in three endemic villages in Kano State, Nigeria. The instrument used was a questionnaire designed and validated by a medical sociologist. Out of the sixteen respondents with Adenolymphangitis (ADL), 4 (25%) sought traditional medicine, 6(37.5%) modern medicine while 6(37.5%) sought both traditional and modern medications. The treatment costs of the 16 respondents for traditional medicine to cure ADL only 2(12.5%) have spent between N1:00 to N500:00 during the last one year. Treatment costs for modern medicine for 7(28%) ranged from N1:00 to N500:00 while for 1(9.1%) it was about N1000:00. Eleven of the respondents with ADL claimed that it prevented or curtailed them from performing their daily activities within the last one year. The management practices among fourteen of the respondents with chronic symptoms revealed that 8(57.1%) sought traditional medicine, 3(21.4%) modern medicine and 3(21.4%) both traditional and modern medicine. The treatment costs for each of the two persons with hydrocoele that underwent surgery was about N5200:00. Only three persons with chronic symptoms claimed that prevented them from performing activities. The most common treatment seeking behaviour among the respondents was traditional medicine but a sizeable percentage also sought modern medicine. The socioeconomic burden was mainly associated with ADL may because those with chronic symptoms have developed coping mechanisms. Since Nigeria has launched its lymphatic filariasis control project, it is recommended that the management practices which varies from one endemic community to another be taking into consideration in order to succeed in morbidity control which is a key component of the programme.
Keywords: Lymphatic filariasis, socioeconomic, management practices, traditional medicine, modern medicine, hydrocoele, elephantiasis, adenolymphangitis
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