Magnitude and Predictors of Compliance with Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin for Onchocerciasis Elimination in Yeki Woreda Sheka Zone, SNNP Regional State, South-West Ethiopia

Abstract

Back ground: Onchocerciasis is one of the Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), which is commonly known as river blindness. Compliance with annual Ivermectin treatment is major challenge in community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) implementation. Those individuals, who did not comply with the annual mass treatment, will contribute to the continuity of the disease transmission. The objective of this study was assessing magnitude and predictors of compliance with annual community directed treatment with Ivermectin for Onchocerciasis Elimination in Yeki Woreda Sheka Zone, SNNP Regional state, South-West Ethiopia. Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in March 1-28, 2018 on systematically sampled 546 representative households. Data was collected using interviewer administered pre-tested questionnaire and key informant interview guide. The data was entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statistics was computed to summarize data in tables. Variable with P-values < 0.25 in bivariate analysis were selected for multivariable analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors of the CDTI compliance at P value 0.05. Results: A total of 546 respondents aged from 19 to 73 (mean 42.2± 13) years participated in the study. More than two-third (77.3%) of them reported compliance with the annual treatment. Significantly higher rate of treatment compliances were reported by those who were in the age group above 35 years [AOR: 3; 95% CI: 1.4, 6.0], perceived risk of infection [AOR: 4.6; 95% CI: 2.3, 9.6], knowledgeable about CDTI [AOR: 3.8; 95% CI: 1.2, 12.2], Perceive community drug distributors (CDDs) are doing their work well [AOR:2.7;95%CI:1.2,5.0], being civil servant [AOR:0.1;95% CI:0.04,0.25],being merchant [AOR:0.09;95% CI:0.03,0.19], and who had favorable attitude towards CDTI [AOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1, 6.3]. Conclusion: The annual treatment compliance with CDTI in the study area was low so to overcome these problem intervention packages should consider factors such as age, perceiving risk, performance of CDD, occupation, knowledge and attitude towards CDTI improve compliance.