School-Based Deworming Medication Utilization among School-Going Children in Rural Rwanda: Caregivers' Perceptions and Experiences: A Qualitative Study

Abstract: Background: School-based deworming has become a cornerstone of Rwanda's strategy against soil-transmitted helminth infections, yet measurable program coverage does not always translate into actual medication ingestion by children. Caregivers are central to this gap, since their understanding, beliefs, and day-to-day decisions ultimately determine whether a child swallows the tablet offered at school. This study explored caregivers' perceptions and lived experiences of deworming medication utilization among school-going children in Rusizi District, Rwanda. Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was used. Thirty caregivers of school-going children aged 7 to 18 years were purposively selected from communities in Rusizi District where school-based deworming campaigns had recently taken place. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews with teachers and community health workers, conducted in Kinyarwanda, audio-recorded with consent, and later transcribed and translated into English. Data collection continued until no new ideas emerged from successive interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Six interconnected themes were identified: knowledge and awareness of deworming, perceived benefits of deworming, fear of side effects and misconceptions, trust in schools and community health workers, school attendance and access challenges, and the influence of previous experiences on future participation. Caregivers generally regarded deworming as beneficial for their children's appetite, growth, and classroom concentration, and placed considerable trust in schools and health workers as program implementers. At the same time, fear of side effects, lingering misconceptions about repeated dosing, and absenteeism on campaign days were recurring obstacles shaping whether children ultimately received and swallowed the medication. Conclusion: Caregivers' decisions about deworming participation are shaped by an interplay of knowledge, trust, fear, and prior experience rather than by any single factor in isolation. Strengthening pre-campaign communication, openly addressing side-effect concerns, and building structured catch-up mechanisms for absent children would help translate caregivers' generally favorable attitudes into more complete and consistent utilization. Keywords: deworming; caregivers; qualitative study; school-going children; soil-transmitted helminths; Rwanda; thematic analysis. Title: School-Based Deworming Medication Utilization among School-Going Children in Rural Rwanda: Caregivers' Perceptions and Experiences: A Qualitative Study Author: Mutijima Olive, Peterson Kariuki International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 14, Issue 1, April 2026 - September 2026 Page No: 421-431 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 01-July-2026 DOI: doi.org Paper Download Link (Source) researchpublish.com