Abstract:
Taenia solium cysticercosis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis occurring in many developing
countries. Socio-cultural determinants related to its control remain unclear. Studies in Africa
have shown that the underuse of sanitary facilities and the widespread occurrence of freeroaming
pigs are the major risk factors for porcine cysticercosis. The study objective was
to assess the communities’ perceptions, practices and knowledge regarding latrines in a
T. solium endemic rural area in Eastern Zambia inhabited by the Nsenga ethno-linguistic
group, and to identify possible barriers to their construction and use. A total of 21 focus
group discussions on latrine use were organized separately with men, women and children,
in seven villages of the Petauke district. The themes covered were related to perceived latrine
availability (absence-presence, building obstacles) and perceived latrine use (defecation
practices, latrine management, socio-cultural constraints).The findings reveal that
latrines were not constructed in every household because of the convenient use of existing
latrines in the neighborhood. Latrines were perceived to contribute to good hygiene mainly
because they prevent pigs from eating human feces. Men expressed reluctance to abandon
the open-air defecation practice mainly because of toilet-associated taboos with in-laws
and grown-up children of the opposite gender. When reviewing conceptual frameworks of
people’s approach to sanitation, we found that seeking privacy and taboos hindering latrine
use and construction were mainly explained in our study area by the fact that the Nsenga
observe a traditionally matrilineal descent. These findings indicate that in this local context
latrine promotion messages should not only focus on health benefits in general. Since only men were responsible for building latrines and mostly men preferred open defecation, sanitation
programs should also be directed to men and address related sanitary taboos in
order to be effective.
