STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE AS A TOOL FOR RAPID DIAGNOSIS OF URINARY SCHISTOSOMIASIS: A CASE STUDY OF THREE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the distribution of urinary schistosomiasis in  school children using structured questionnaires as a rapid assessment tool in a total of 339 schools in Abeokuta North, Odeda, and Obafemi - Owode Local Government Areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. Of the 339 schools in the LGAs, 331 (94.6 %) returned the questionnaires within the stipulated 7 weeks. These involved 35,588 pupils aged 8-15 years (mean age of 12± 2 years) in 265 communities. The results revealed that  schistosomiasis is widely distributed in the study area with prevalence of 88.22%, 72.91% and 59.23% in Odeda, Abeokuta North and Obafemi-Owode respectively. The questionnaire is probably sufficiently sensitive as a tool for rapid diagnosis of schistosomiasis in the area.