Globally, most young people living with mental health conditions lack access to mental health care but have access to a mobile device. The growing access to mobile devices in South Africa has the potential to increase access to mental health care services through digital platforms. However, uptake of digital mental health interventions may be hampered by several factors, such as privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, and affordability. This study identified the prospects and challenges of implementing a mobile phone-based mental health intervention for young people in Ingwavuma area. Data were collected from 93 young people in three villages purposefully selected in Ingwavuma area. Participants included in the study were aged 16–24. Data were collected through a questionnaire. Thematic and descriptive analysis was performed on the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. Mental health education was low, with only 22% of participants having received prior education on mental health. About 50% of the participants had come across a mental health app, but none of them had used any of these apps; 87% of participants had Internet access; 60% preferred to use social media to contact a health worker; and 92% suggested that use of digital apps would improve mental health literacy among young people. Barriers to access of digital mental health interventions were identified as the high cost of data, restrictive religious beliefs, limited privacy, lack of native languages on most digital platforms, low digital literacy, and complicated user interface. In uMkhanyakude, uptake of digital mental health apps among the young people was low. We recommend that, developers create context-specific digital applications catered for young people from different cultural backgrounds. Socio-economic issues such as affordability also need to be addressed in developing these tools.

Schistosomiasis is a public health problem in more than 78 countries in the world. The disease is most prevalent among children than adults due to their high exposure to infectious water sources. Various interventions such as mass drug administration (MDA), snail control, safe water provision and health education have been implemented independently or jointly to control, reduce and ultimately eliminate Schistosomiasis. This scoping review focused on studies reporting the impact of different delivery strategies of targeted treatment and MDA on the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis infection in school aged children in Africa. The review focused on Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni species. A systematic search for eligible literature from peer-reviewed articles was done from Google Scholar, Medline, PubMed and EBSCO host databases. The search yielded twenty-seven peer-reviewed articles. All articles found reported a decrease in the prevalence of schistosomiasis infection. Five studies (18.5%) reported a prevalence change below 40%, eighteen studies (66.7%) reported a change between 40% and 80%, and four studies (14.8%) reported a change above 80%. The infection intensity post-treatment was varied: twenty-four studies reported a decrease, while two studies reported an increase. The review showed that the impact of targeted treatment on the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis depended on the frequency at which it was offered, complementary interventions, and its uptake by the target population. Targeted treatment can significantly control the infection burden, but cannot eliminate the disease. Constant MDA programs coupled with preventative and health promotional programs are required to reach the elimination stage.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to collate the infection rates of Fasciola spp. in intermediate host snails and their distribution in Africa. The overall infectivity prevalences of Galba truncatula, Radix natalensis, and Pseudosuccinea columella are 52%, 8%, and 3%, respectively. The intermediate host snails native to Africa (R. natalensis and G. truncatula) have been examined more than the invasive P. columella. The studies included in the review ranged from 1999 to 2022. North Africa has the highest prevalence of G. truncatula, with an infection rate of 52%. The review reveals that naturally infected intermediate host snails (G. truncatula, R. natalensis, and P. columella) are found in various regions of Africa. G. truncatula accounts for 22% (from three countries) of the studies included in the review and it was only found in the North African region with the highest overall infection rate of 52%. More studies on infection rate and distribution are needed to effectively control and prevent future transmissions.

Educational interventions targeting communities which are at risk of contracting schistosomiasis infection may empower them to develop capacity to minimize the spread of the disease. We compared the effectiveness of health education interventions for schistosomiasis knowledge uptake among school-going children in Ndumo area, KwaZulu-Natal using a quasi-experimental trial. An assessment of health education interventions (edutainment and infographics) in the community’s own language and socio-cultural context was done among primary school-aged children in two primary schools in Ndumo, a schistosomiasis endemic area (37%). The study involved 37 students from Munywana primary where the intervention was on infographics and 44 from Maphindela where the intervention was on edutainment. The students wrote a schistosomiasis knowledge test, 1 month before the knowledge uptake interventions were implemented. The same test was given to the two groups after the interventions. Baseline and post-intervention scores were used to test whether the interventions improved schistosomiasis knowledge levels. Paired t-test and independent t-tests were conducted to test the change in knowledge assimilation at the 5% significance level. Our findings show that health education interventions significantly improved knowledge on schistosomiasis among school children (P < 0.001). At post-intervention, the mean score of the whole sample increased to 15,6/35, from a baseline score of 6,5/35. However, there was no significant difference in the post-intervention mean scores of infographics and edutainment interventions. In order to improve schistosomiasis research uptake among school-aged children, health education interventions such as edutainment and infographics can be effective in making the children assimilate schistosomiasis research findings as it has been shown elsewhere. The number of participants in the intervention and high attrition rate were notable limitations of the study. Future studies may need to invest more resources and use digital-based interventions incorporating both infographics and edutainment on one platform such as a digital device.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends conducting a baseline survey to quantify the infection burden of schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths (STH) in pre-school aged children (PSAC) and school-aged children (SAC) before implementing a schistosomiasis mass drug administration intervention. The objective of the study was to compare the prevalence and intensity of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections between preschool-aged children (PSAC) and school-age children (SAC) in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study was conducted in the province of KZN. The target population was PSAC and SAC, with a sample size of 2000 children (1176 primary school-aged children and 824 pre-school-aged children). Ethical clearance was obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of the University of KwaZulu-Natal; informed consent from parents/legal guardians and verbal assent from SAC were solicited. Data collection involved collecting stool and urine samples from children. The prevalence and intensity of infections were compared between PSAC and SAC, using statistical methods to assess differences. The results showed that 49 (4.2%) SAC were positive for Schistosoma haematobium, while only 3 (0.41%) PSAC were infected. The total number of STH infections among participants was 281 (22%), with 91 in PSAC and 190 in SAC. The chi-square test showed that SAC were infected with schistosomiasis more than PSAC counterparts in the same location. However, the difference in STH prevalence between PSAC and SAC was not statistically significant, suggesting that there was not much of a difference in the prevalence of STH among SAC and PSAC. Among the STH infections, Taenia was the most prevalent, affecting approximately 20.5% of SAC and 23.4% of PSAC. This species accounted for a substantial proportion of the overall STH burden in both age groups. The study concluded that while SAC has a higher overall prevalence, a real burden exists among PSAC indicating the need to include them in MDA programs targeting S. haematobium in the province.

Background: MABISA (Malaria and Bilharzia in Southern Africa) project generated knowledge on schistosomiasis trends, prevalence, intensity and incidence under changing climatic conditions. Uptake of this knowledge may benefit the affected communities in the uMkhanyakude area to develop strategies that may reduce their vulnerability to schistosomiasis. Research uptake (RU) is dependent upon the engagement of various stakeholders who are likely to utilise the generated knowledge. This study purpose is to determine the role of health, learning and leadership institutions in the uptake schistosomiasis research findings. Methods: In-depth interviews with 18 key informants purposively selected from health, educational and social institutions were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Roles played by each stakeholder in community health communication were determined. The stakeholder’s power to influence the community and their interest for reducing the burden of schistosomiasis were interpreted using the Boston matrix. Results: The stakeholder analysis showed that teachers and nurses have a high influence and interest in solving the problem and can be partnered with in delivering schistosomiasis RU interventions. Councillors and village headmen had high influence but low interest in the problem of schistosomiasis but could participate in intervention activities or be consulted before the interventions are implemented. Health workers had high interest in the problem but had low influential power. They, however, can be consulted or be provided with information to share with the people they interact with in the community. The library had low interest in the problem; however they could assist by disseminating information about schistosomiasis through distribution and display of learning materials to library users.Conclusions: We concluded that knowledge uptake is highly influenced by stakeholder’s choice of communication channels. The role of stakeholders is determined by their interest, influence and ability to implement interventions. Therefore, for effective schistosomiasis knowledge uptake to occur, capacity building in health communication channels and buy-in by stakeholders are essential.