“We know about schistosomiasis but we know nothing about FGS”: A qualitative assessment of knowledge gaps about female genital schistosomiasis among communities living in Schistosoma haematobium endemic districts of Zanzibar and Northwestern Tanzania
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Bringing Down Hurdles for Female Genital Schistosomiasis Access to Care: A Multi-Country Socio-Structural Integrated Approach to Developing A Community-Based Teaching Platform
This study aims to answer: Can female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) screening be successfully promoted through a community-based teaching intervention addresing stigma and other socio-structural barriers to increase health-seeking behaviors nested in broader sexual and reproductive health prevention services. It pilots an approach that combines awareness, anti-stigma education, and integrated screening for FGS. Investigators will work with women, adolescent girls, and key stakeholders to develop a community-based teaching platform for FGS, cervical cancer, HIV, and STIs that could decrease the burden of genital tract morbidity in women of reproductive age. Zambia will serve as the main study site and once the team has developed the intervention, it will be rolled out remotely to Malawi and Tanzania. Additionally, the team plans to adapt validated HIV stigma indicators to include FGS and pilot test the scale throughout the course of the project.