Publisher's Synopsis
This manual gives health workers and educators a collection of model stories, illustrations, case studies, and questions for discussion that can be used to help people understand their role in the cause and prevention of schistosomiasis. Intended to form the basis of training and planning sessions in the field, the manual draws its authority from the recent development of simple, safe, and inexpensive technologies that lend themselves to community participation in the control of schistosomiasis. Although emphasis is placed on the consequences of water use practices and indiscriminate urination and defecation, the manual also offers advice on ways to persuade people to take advantage of screening services and to comply with medical treatment.;Readers are first introduced to several basic concepts of health education, including reasons why people do not generally recognize schistosomiasis as a priority problem, approaches to the "diagnosis" of behaviours that put people at risk, and general strategies for helping communities to adjust their traditional beliefs in line with modern concepts of disease. In keeping with the importance of planning and evaluation, the chapter also outlines and explains ten essential components of a written plan for health education.;The main part of the manual presents model training material organized to complement the three main strategies for control: improved water and sanitation facilities, screening and treatment programmes and snail control measures. For each strategy, readers are first given a framework for diagnosis of the problem and appropriate action. Lists are used to indicate the types of risk behaviour, suggested reasons for such behaviour, and the various educational strategies that can be used to improve behaviour.
