02075nas a2200193   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042100001400054700001500068700001300083700001400096700001300110700001400123700001500137700001800152245016600170856006500336520148000401       2022                            d  bMDPI AG1 aBhwana DK1 aMassawe IS1 aMushi AK1 aMashili P1 aAmaral L1 aMakunde W1 aMmbando BP1 aColebunders R00aCommunity Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Onchocerciasis in Rural Villages With a High Epilepsy Prevalence in Mahenge, Tanzania: A Qualitative Study  uhttps://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202207.0366/v1/download3 a<p>Despite of over 20 years of community directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI), a high prevalence of onchocerciasis and onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy were observed in rural villages in Mahenge, Tanzania. Therefore, we assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice about onchocerciasis in four rural villages in the Mahenge area. This was a qualitative study conducted between June and July 2019. Eleven focus group discussions were organized with persons with epilepsy and their caretakers, community resource persons, and community drug distributors (CDDs), and two in-depth interviews with district programme coordinators of neglected tropical diseases (NTD). Most participants were aware about symptoms of onchocerciasis using local terminologies such as &amp;ldquo;ukurutu/rough dry skin&amp;rdquo; and &amp;ldquo;kuwashwa/itching&amp;rdquo;. A small proportion of people did not take ivermectin during CDTI for fear of adverse reactions such as itching and swelling. Some men believed that ivermectin may decrease libido. Challenges for high CDTI coverage included, long walking distance by CDDs to deliver drugs to households, persons being away for farming, low awareness of the disease and limited supervision by the NTD coordinators. In conclusion, ivermectin uptake in Mahenge should be optimised by continuous advocacy about the importance of taking ivermectin to prevent onchocerciasis-associated morbidity and by improving supervision during CDTI.</p>