Title
“Zika is everywhere”: A qualitative exploration of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards Zika virus among women of reproductive age in Iquitos, Peru
Date Issued
01 January 2018
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Weldon C.T.
Riley-Powell A.R.
Aguerre I.M.
Nacimento R.A.C.
Morrison A.C.
Oberhelman R.A.
Publisher(s)
Public Library of Science
Abstract
Zika virus was reported in the rainforest city of Iquitos, Peru in 2016. The potential associa-tions between Zika and fetal neurological disorders were reported extensively in the media regarding neighboring Brazil, and led to great concern about the impact Zika could have on people’s health in Iquitos when it arrived. The aim of this study was to explore the knowl-edge, attitudes, and preventative practices related to Zika virus and its transmission among women of childbearing age in Iquitos, Peru. Six focus group discussions with 46 women of ages 20–35 from an Iquitos district with confirmed Zika cases were conducted to explore: 1) knowledge of Zika transmission, its symptoms, and treatment, 2) attitudes regarding Zika, including perceptions of risk for and severity of Zika, and 3) preventative practices, including awareness of health promotion activities. Participants were knowledgeable about Zika symptoms and knew it was transmitted by mosquitoes, and about half had heard about the association between Zika and microcephaly, but most lacked knowledge about the associ-ated neurological disorders in adults, its sexual transmission, and ways to prevent infection. They expressed concern for pregnant women exposed to the virus and the impact on the fetus. Participants felt at risk of contracting the Zika virus, yet had not changed preventive practices, possibly in part because their perception of the severity of this disease was low. This study reveals knowledge gaps that could be addressed via health promotion messages that might improve prevention practices to help community members protect themselves from Zika virus during this outbreak.
Volume
12
Issue
8
Number
e0006708
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Epidemiología Salud pública, Salud ambiental
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85059796711
PubMed ID
Source
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
ISSN of the container
19352727
Sponsor(s)
This study was funded by the Carol Lavin Bernick Faculty grant and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (“Tulane-Xavier Minority Training in International Health”; T37 MD001424) through the Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) Program.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus