School non-enrolment and its relation with health and schistosomiasis knowledge, attitudes and practices in rural Egypt

Children who are not enrolled in school are deprived of schistosomiasis treatments delivered through school health programmes. We explored perceptions of barriers to school enrolment and health and schistosomiasis knowledge, attitude and practices among 58 enrolled and 41 non-enrolled children and 80 adults in a village in El-Fayoum governate, Egypt. Economic factors, cultural factors and the school system were perceived as barriers. Maternal education had a significant role in enrolment. Non-enrolled children were more anaemic and had more signs of vitamin deficiency. Enrolled children had better schistosomiasis knowledge and attitudes, but not practice; both groups had high Schistosoma mansoni infection rates (51.7% enrolled and 65.8% non-enrolled). Education and health policies should tackle perceived barriers. Introduction