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Prevalence of Intestinal Helminth Infections and Associated Risk Factors Among School Children in Adola Town, Guji Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Intestinal helminths infection (IHI) are major public health problems worldwide, which are more prevalent in tropics and sub tropical countries especially in developing countries like Sub Saharan Africa cause of morbidity and mortality. In Ethiopia, the burden of IHI appears in all ages mainly due to factors like lack of education, low socioeconomic status, and inadequate supply of drugs and proper awareness of the transmission. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of IHIs and their associated risk factors among primary school children of Adola town, Guji Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. School based cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 school children from grade one to eight in three purposively selected Adola Primary schools located in Adola town from June 4, 2018, to December 25, 2019. Data were gathered using questionnaires and laboratory examination procedures and then, the collected stool samples were examined microscopically using direct wet-mount methods. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 by binary logistics regression model using odd ratio with 95%CI. The overall prevalence of IHIs among school children was found to be 33.91% (137/404). The eight dominant IHs identified in school children were Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis nana, Taenia saginata, Hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Schistosoma mansoni, Enterobius vermicularis, and Strongyloides stercoralis with prevalence of 8.9%, 7.7%, 5.4%, 4.7%, 2.5%, 2.2%, 1.7%, and 0.7% respectively. The highest prevalence was found to be higher in male children (39.6%) than in female children (28.8%) which is statistically significant at p<0.05. The highest prevalence of IHIs among school children in the age group 6-10, 11-15, 16-20 and above 20 were 49.6%, 35.8%, 10.9% and 3.6%, respectively and found to be not statistically significant at p<0.05. The prevalence of IHIs was significantly associated with some of the risk factors, such as gender difference, level of students educational, latrine usage habit, handwashing habit, handwashing habit after defecation, purpose of handwashing, and awareness to intestinal helminths (p=0.024, p=0.031, p=0.043, p=0.000, p=0.049, p=0.047, and p=0.033 respectively). In the study area, the prevalence of intestinal helminths infection is moderately high and represents a public health problem in the school-children of Adola town. Therefore, all stakeholders should pay attention to raise awareness about health education programs such as proper personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, improving the quality of drinking water, and treatment to reduce the prevalence of intestinal helminths.
DOI: 10.20372/nadre:20039
Institution: Dilla University
Language: English
Subfield: Parasitology
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7091408353
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