Who Knows How to Prevent Trachoma? Caregiver Preventive Knowledge and Associated Factors in Moroto District, Uganda.
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Health Policy Planning and Management, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
- 2Department of Behavioural Change, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
- 3Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
- 4Department of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Soroti University, Soroti, Uganda.
Abstract
Background
Trachoma remains the leading infectious cause of blindness globally. In Moroto District, Uganda, the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) among children aged 1-9 years remained at 10-29.9% in 2023, at least twice the elimination threshold. Caregivers directly influence children's hygiene, yet evidence on their preventive knowledge is limited. This study assessed trachoma preventive knowledge and associated factors among caregivers of children aged 1-9 years in Moroto District.Methods
This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 620 randomly selected caregivers of children aged 1-9 years in selected communities in Moroto District. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire in Kobo Collect, with knowledge items adapted from published trachoma knowledge tools. Knowledge was measured with 12 items (score 0-12), and caregivers scoring above the mean were classified as having good knowledge. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the factors associated with trachoma preventive knowledge at the 95% confidence level.Results
Overall, 75.3% (467/620) of caregivers demonstrated good knowledge of trachoma prevention. In multivariable analysis, factors positively associated with trachoma preventive knowledge were being a male caregiver (AOR=4.21, 95% CI: 1.63-10.86, p=0.003), washing the child's face twice a day (AOR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.20-5.04, p=0.014), and more than twice a day (AOR=2.51, 95% CI: 1.04-6.06, p=0.040). Caregivers with no formal education (AOR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.34-0.91, p=0.019), those who dumped waste in open fields/bushes (AOR=0.38, 95% CI: 0.22-0.66, p<0.001), and those who did not receive trachoma prevention messages (AOR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.10-0.61, p=0.002) were negatively associated with trachoma preventive knowledge.Conclusion
Most caregivers had good trachoma-preventive knowledge, but knowledge was lower among female caregivers, those with no formal education, those who disposed of waste in open fields and those not reached by prevention messages. Health education in Moroto should prioritise these groups and be delivered alongside sanitation and hygiene interventions.
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BibTeX
@article{bunani2026knows,
title = {{Who Knows How to Prevent Trachoma? Caregiver Preventive Knowledge and Associated Factors in Moroto District, Uganda.}},
author = {Nelson Bunani and Caroline Birungi and Godfrey Tumwizere and Enid Sarah Kabajungu and Samuel Kabwigu and Mary Abwola Olwedo},
journal = {Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.2147/opth.s631957},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898910},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Who Knows How to Prevent Trachoma? Caregiver Preventive Knowledge and Associated Factors in Moroto District, Uganda.
AU - Nelson Bunani
AU - Caroline Birungi
AU - Godfrey Tumwizere
AU - Enid Sarah Kabajungu
AU - Samuel Kabwigu
AU - Mary Abwola Olwedo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/15
JO - Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.)
DO - 10.2147/opth.s631957
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898910
AB - Background Trachoma remains the leading infectious cause of blindness globally. In Moroto District, Uganda, the prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) among children aged 1-9 years remained at 10-29.9% in 2023, at least twice the elimination threshold. Caregivers directly influence children's hygiene, yet evidence on their preventive knowledge is limited. This study assessed trachoma preventive knowledge and associated factors among caregivers of children aged 1-9 years in Moroto District.Methods This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 620 randomly selected caregivers of children aged 1-9 years in selected communities in Moroto District. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire in Kobo Collect, with knowledge items adapted from published trachoma knowledge tools. Knowledge was measured with 12 items (score 0-12), and caregivers scoring above the mean were classified as having good knowledge. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the factors associated with trachoma preventive knowledge at the 95% confidence level.Results Overall, 75.3% (467/620) of caregivers demonstrated good knowledge of trachoma prevention. In multivariable analysis, factors positively associated with trachoma preventive knowledge were being a male caregiver (AOR=4.21, 95% CI: 1.63-10.86, p=0.003), washing the child's face twice a day (AOR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.20-5.04, p=0.014), and more than twice a day (AOR=2.51, 95% CI: 1.04-6.06, p=0.040). Caregivers with no formal education (AOR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.34-0.91, p=0.019), those who dumped waste in open fields/bushes (AOR=0.38, 95% CI: 0.22-0.66, p<0.001), and those who did not receive trachoma prevention messages (AOR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.10-0.61, p=0.002) were negatively associated with trachoma preventive knowledge.Conclusion Most caregivers had good trachoma-preventive knowledge, but knowledge was lower among female caregivers, those with no formal education, those who disposed of waste in open fields and those not reached by prevention messages. Health education in Moroto should prioritise these groups and be delivered alongside sanitation and hygiene interventions.
SN - 1177-5467
SN - 1177-5483
ER -