179 -- Analysis of KAP Survey Data to Help Understand The Main Practices that Contribute to the Incidence of Schistosomiasis Among School-aged Children in Ghana

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that is more prevalent in tropical areas including Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. The WHO estimates that 90% of people who require treatment for schistosomiasis infections live in Africa. Our study focuses on data acquired from a small, marginalized community on the outskirts of the capital city of Accra in Ghana. Our sample includes individuals, both male and female, aged 8-26. The data was collected using KAP survey methods between 2016-2018. KAP surveys focus on analyzing knowledge, attitudes, and practices surrounding certain diseases. This method produces quantitative and qualitative results that help us to understand the impact of schistosomiasis not just on the community, but also on the culture. This data can be used to develop areas of research for healthcare and health education. The main questions we aimed to answer were how many children and young adults have knowledge of schistosomiasis, how do they perceive the parasite, what and how many high-risk behaviors do they participate in, and what preventative measures do they engage in? We also aimed to answer questions about water and hygiene within the village. No results or conclusions can be presented at this time as we are still analyzing data.