Abstract: Objective To investigate the current situation of knowledge and behavior towards schistosomiasis prevention and health education needs in students from the primary schools in urban area of Yueyang City, Hunan Province, so as to provide evidence for formulating scientific and effective health education program on schistosomiasis prevention in the primary school students. Methods By stratified cluster sampling, students from four classes were recruited from grade 5 and 6 from two schools, respectively, in the urban area and around the Lake of Yueyang City, and underwent questionnaire survey for the relevant knowledge and behavior towards schistosomiasis prevention as well as health education needs. Then the results were statistically analyzed. Results A total of 353 pupils from primary schools located near the Dongting Lake and 363 pupils in the urban center of Yueyang City underwent the survey. There was no significant difference in the age, gender and grades between students from the two schools (t=-0.494, χ²_gender=1.615, χ²_grade=2.152, both P>0.05). The total knowledge awareness rate of schistosomiasis prevention and control was 42.60% (305/716), and was higher in pupils from the schools located near the Dongting Lake than those from the school in urban center (52.97% vs. 32.51%, χ²=30.661, P<0.05).The total rate of correct preventive behavior was 76.68% (549/716), and the correct rate was higher in students with better knowledge towards schistosomiasis prevention and control than those with poorer awareness (81.31% vs. 71.24%, χ²=6.384, P<0.05).Students' knowledge of schistosomiasis control mostly was from their teachers (47.49%). 91.90% of students were willing to learn more about the knowledge of schistosomiasis control, and their favorite way to learn the knowledge of schistosomiasis prevention and control was to participate in extracurricular activities (50.42%). Conclusion The rate of overall knowledge and preventive behavior towards schistosomiasis prevention and control appears relatively lower in the pupils in Yueyang City, which suggests that it is necessary to improve the health education on schistosomiasis prevention in the students through different means in order to enhance students' awareness of schistosomiasis control and improve their ability in self-protection. 

Key words: Schistosomiasis, Knowledge, Behavior, Health education, Primary students