Unveiling Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Lahore, Pakistan: Unveiling Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Intestinal Parasitic Infections

Kanwal Zia; Sajid Hameed; Khizzer Pervaiz; Zeeshan Ahmad; Asif Maqsood Butt; Muhammad Hatim Hamid Khan

doi:10.54393/pjhs.v5i11.2397

Authors

Kanwal Zia Department of Paediatric Surgery, Kahuta Research Laboratories Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan
Sajid Hameed Department of Public Health, Green International University, Lahore, Pakistan
Khizzer Pervaiz Department of Administration, Ali Medical Center Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
Zeeshan Ahmad Department of General Surgery, Rai Medical College, Sargodha, Pakistan
Asif Maqsood Butt Department of Community Medicine, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Muhammad Hatim Hamid Khan Department of Physiology, Services Institute of Medical Sciences. (SIMS), Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v5i11.2397

Keywords:

Intestinal Parasitic Infections, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices

Abstract

Intestinal Parasitic Infections are intestinal infections, especially in toddlers, caused by parasites such as worms. Objectives: To explore Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Pakistan, emphasizing their interlinkage with other socio-demographic factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Pak town, Lahore, on 348 parents. A questionnaire was developed to record demographic data, five Knowledge items, seven Attitudes, and 12 Practice questions. IBM SPSS version 27 was used for all the analyses. Descriptive, chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were applied. Results: The majority of participants were housewives (50.9%). The levels of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices were poor in 56%, 60.9%, and 51.7% of the parents, respectively. There was a greater likelihood of good attitude in parents with good knowledge (adjusted OR=5.3; 95% CI=0.3-96.4) compared with poor knowledge. Male were less likely (adjusted OR=0.3; 95% CI=0.1-0.7) to present good attitudes than female. Parents with education level of Intermediate (adjusted OR=2.6; 95% CI=1.2-5.7), Graduate (adjusted OR=3.5; 95% CI=1.6-7.6), and Masters (adjusted OR=60.8; 95% CI=3.8-974.3) showed better attitudes than those with secondary education. Good practices were associated with the presence of good attitudes rather than poor attitudes (adjusted OR=0.6; 95% CI=0.4-0.9). Conclusions: It was concluded that there was a poor prevalence of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Punjab. Good knowledge determines good attitudes that control good practices; hence, a focus on augmenting Practices of Intestinal Parasitic knowledge among parents should be the top priority of healthcare, especially among mothers.

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