Predictors of compliance with a mass drug administration programme for lymphatic filariasis in Orissa State, India 2008.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the performance of an educational campaign to increase adherence to a mass-administered DEC regimen against lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Orissa, and to identify factors that could enhance future campaigns.

METHOD: Randomized cluster survey, comparing areas that did and did not receive the educational campaign, using a household coverage survey and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey.

RESULTS

LF MDA coverage for the entire population (n = 3449) was 56% (95% CI: 50.0-61.9). There was no statistical difference between the areas that did and did not receive the educational campaign. The most common barriers to adherence were fear of medication side effects (47.4%) and lack of recognition of one's risk for LF (15.8%). Modifiable, statistically significant, multivariable predictors of adherence were knowing that DEC prevents LF (aOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4-5.1), knowing that mosquitoes transmit LF (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.2), and knowing both about the mass drug administration (MDA) in advance and that mosquitoes transmit LF (aOR = 5.4, 95% CI: 2.8-10.4).

CONCLUSIONS

India needs to increase compliance with MDA programmes to reach its goal of interrupting LF transmission. Promoting a simple public health message before MDA distribution, which takes into account barriers to and predictors of adherence, could raise compliance with the LF MDA programme.