ABSTRACT
@#Soil transmitted helminth (STH) infection is a major public health concern among the indigenous children of Malaysia. Precarious living conditions at home including unavailability of water, drinking of contaminated water, poor sanitation and livestock presence, are known risk factors for the infection. In order to provide better living conditions, these children are enrolled in boarding schools. This study was conducted to determine whether boarding schools is a solution in reducing soil transmitted helminth infection among Orang Asli children in Sg Siput, Perak, Malaysia. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 204 schoolchildren aged 7-17 years from three boarding schools in Sungai Siput, Perak from January to March 2017. Stool samples were collected and examined using direct smear and Kato-Katz technique. Information on sociodemographic and environmental conditions were collected using a modified Demographic Health Survey (DHS) questionnaire. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS Statistics Processor 20.0.Out of a total of 204 children, only 48% (n= 97) were infected with at least one type of STH species which showed a reduced prevalence as compared to previous studies conducted among home dwelling schoolchildren with overall prevalence of 78-97%. Majority of the children had monoparasitism (31%; n=63) with moderate intensity by T trichuira (n=51, 25%). Univariate analysis shows that unavailability of water at home has a statistically significant association with STH infection among boarding school children (OR=0.73; 95% CI= 0.56-0.95 p=0.021). Multivariate analysis proves children who had unavailability of water at home has 2.1 times more likelihood of getting an STH infection (OR= 2.08; 95%CI= 1.07-4.07; p= 0.032).This study demonstrates a reduced STH prevalence among Orang Asli boarding school children as better living condition there limits the spread of STH infection among them.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: School children majorly face stress due to the pressure and expectations from their parents besides aca-demics, athletics, etc. It is known that depression, stress increases blood pressure. Such wide variations in blood pres-sure at such a young age can increase the incidence of cerebrovascular accidents, ischemic heart diseases, renal failure and preterm death in the adulthood of such children. This survey will guide the parents and teachers to the various problems student face and how can they help the student cope with it. Method: The blood pressure of each student was taken three times to reduce them to minimise the possibility of errors and the blood pressures of all the students were compared according to their age (13-16 years) and the schooling type (boarders and day scholars). Results:On comparing the prehypertensive stage, the numbers of pre-hypertensives are found to be greater in the age group of 15 years in both day scholars and boarders i.e. 14% and 8% respectively. The on comparing the schooling type the day scholars have a greater number of prehypertensive i.e. 25% than boarders which is 17%. Though pre-hypertensives are higher in the age group of 15 years, but the numbers of hypertensives are more in 14 years of age which is 7% (6% in hypertension stage I and 1% in hypertension stage II) in day scholars and 4% (3% in hypertension stage I and 1% in hypertension stage II) in boarders. In schooling type, a similar trend as that of prehypertension is seen i.e. in day schol-ars 14% students are in hypertension stage I and 3% students are in hypertension stage II making a total of 17% of hypertensive in day scholars. Similarly, in boarders there are 6% in hypertension stage I and 1% in hypertension stage II making 7% hypertensive in boarders, thereby showing a higher percentage of hypertensive in day scholars. Conclu-sion: The study revealed Percentage of students in hypertension stage I and hypertension stage II were found more in day scholars (14% HT STAGE I and 3% HT STAGE II) than boarders (6%HT STAGE I and 1% HT STAGE II) re-spectively. Thus, it can be very well concluded that 17% of day school children and 7% boarders were found to be in hypertensive.