Improved Socio-Economic Status of a Community Population Following Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Worm Control Interventions on Kome Island, North-Western Tanzania

Research on micro-level assessment of the changes of socio-economic status following health interventions is very scarce. The use of household asset data to determine wealth indices is a common procedure for estimating socio-economic position in resource poor settings. In such settings information about income is usually lacking, and the collection of individual consumption or expenditure data would require in-depth interviews, posing a considerable risk of bias. In this study, we determined the socio-economic status of 213 households in a community population in an island in the north-western Tanzania before and 3 year after implementation of a participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation (PHAST) intervention to control schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections. We constructed a household 'wealth index' based housing construction features (e.g., type of roof, walls, and floor) and durable assets ownership (e.g., bicycle, radio, etc.). We employed principal components analysis and classified households into wealth quintiles. The study revealed that asset variables with positive factor scores were associated with higher socio-economic status, whereas asset variables with negative factor scores were associated with lower socio-economic status. Overall, households which were rated as the poorest and very poor were on the decrease, whereas those rated as poor, less poor, and the least poor were on the increase after PHAST intervention. This decrease/increase was significant. The median shifted from -0.4376677 to 0.5001073, and the mean from -0.2605787 (SD; 2.005688) to 0.2605787 (SD; 1.831199). The difference in socio-economic status of the people between the 2 phases was highly statistically significant (P<0.001). We argue that finding of this study should be treated with caution as there were other interventions to control schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections which were running concurrently on Kome Island apart from PHAST intervention.

Improved Perceptions and Practices Related to Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Worm Infections Following PHAST Intervention on Kome Island, North-Western Tanzania

Schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections are widespread diseases of public health importance in Tanzania. A study on perceptions and practices related to schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections was undertaken among a community population of Kome Island in Sengerema District, north-western Tanzania, where intestinal schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections are endemic. Schistosomiasis and intestinal worm-related perceptions and practices were assessed before and 3 years after implementation of a participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation (PHAST) intervention as a control measure. Data were obtained from baseline and post-intervention knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) questionnaire surveys conducted twice in 2009 and 2012 among 82 individuals aged > or =15 years. We found significant increases in respondents' knowledge of the cause, transmission, symptoms, health consequences, and prevention of schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections after PHAST intervention. The increase in respondents' knowledge on almost all aspects of the said infections was translated into actions to control schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections. This has not been achieved by chance, but due to well-designed and locally-adapted PHAST intervention. We conclude that despite criticisms, PHAST approach is still useful in empowering communities to control water, sanitation, and hygiene related infectious diseases such as schistosomiasis and intestinal worm infections.

Helminthiasis in School Aged Children in a Select Population in the Niger Delta.

Aim: Helminthiasis and its effects on the hematological parameters of school aged children in a select population in the Niger Delta. Study Design: A cross sectional study (Descriptive study). Place and Duration: The study was carried out in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, between January–April 2011. Methodology: Concentration Method (Sedimentation) was used to examine the stool samples, Packed cell volume (PCV) was obtained by the use of hematocrit centrifugation and reader method; differential white blood count (WBC) was done according to Cheesbrough (2000). Results: Result of the study showed variability in the four gastrol-intestinal helminths among the 360 pupils investigated. Out of the 264(73.3%) positive samples, 142(53.7%) and 122(46.21%) were females and males respectively. Age specific gastroi intestinal worm load was relatively high in all age groups. This pattern of infection was attributed to favorable ecological factors that promote helminths transmission in the study area. However, the overall age related worm load showed that the 5-7 age group had relatively the highest parasite load in the study. The weight and height of infected pupils in relation to the uninfected varied statistically (p<0.05) across the age ranges but was not statistically different (p>0.05) within the age groups. A. lumbricoides (53.3%) was the most prevalent helminth amongst the infected. Conclusion: Overall mixed infection was (23.4%) while the 8-9 age range recorded the highest prevalence (28.2%). Sex related prevalence varied greatly in terms of percentage infection within and across the sexes. However, gastrointestinal parasitism was not significantly different (p>0.05) within the age groups but was significantly different (p<0.05) between the sexes. PCV values were below the normal range in both the infected uninfected in the study group indicating poor nutritional status of the population.

Control of intestinal worm infection for primary school children from 2002-2003

The screening survey by stool examination prior the third round showed the satisfactory results of the previous rounds of treatment in comparison to the base line survey prior the intervention, the overall prevalence of intestinal worm infection was reduced by 56.3%, of which Ascaris infection by 73.5%, Trichuris by 52.4%, hookworm by 55.1 %. The intensity of infection was also reduced significantly as Ascaris by 61.1 %, Trichuris by 52.2%, hookworm by 81.6%. Nearly all the children (99.6%) in the project schools were treated three times (totally 331,194 times of treatment) with the interval of 6 months. The knowledge, attitude and practice of the children and their parents were found to have been much improved as compared to that before the intervention

Intestinal worm infection in Mnong people living in the revolutionary base of Lak district in Dak Lak province

A cross-sectional survey in Mnong ethnic population of Lak district and a case-control study on 733 intestinal worm infected patients were carried out in June2003. Results showed : High prevalence of intestinal worm: 80,1%; most was hookworm (68,7%). Low awareness about intestinal parasite control. In the people group with the behavior of defecating in forest, the risk of hookworm infestion was 3,7 times higher than in the other (p<0,01) In the people group who don’t wash hands before eating, the risk of intestinal worm infestion was 2,9 times higher than in the other

Intestinal worm infection in school children and use of living water resource and latrine

In 2004-2005, 414 childrend's stool samples collected in three pilot communes in the mountainous district of A Luoi, Thua thien - Hue province were examined. The cumulative intestinal worm infection was found to be 66.18%, of which Ascaris lumbricoides. Trichuris trichuria, Hookworm and mixed infection with two or three species of worn were 54.11%, 13.04%, 36.47%, and 28.26%, respectively. In the survey conducted in 21 communes and towns of this district, the rate of hygienic latrine was 60.33%. The coverage of hygienic latrine was low (0.51 hygienic latrine per household), on average, one per 10 persons. The available latrines are mainly open-ground holes ( 61.28%) and self filtered - water treated ones ( 21.71 %). 71.87% of the households used hygienic water, of which 36.64% used water supply and filterd water, 41.40% used well water and 24% used spring water. It is recommended to urgently carry out appropriate measures concerning the latrine and local domestic water to control the intestinal worm infection in children

Intestinal worm infection in coastal areas and islands of Quang Ninh province

A survey of intestinal worm infection was conducted in the island-commune of Minh Chau (Van Don district) and the coastal commune of Phuong Nam (Dong Bi district) of the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh. Stool samples of 900 local people were examined using Willis method. A high prevalence of intestinal worm infection with a cumulative infection rate of 94.9% (854/900), of which Ascaris is most common: 94.8% (853/900), followed by Trichuris: 32% and hookwonn: 12.8% was found. Single infection was 58.3% (498/854), co-infection with three species was 5.4% (46/854), with two species, (mainly with Ascaris and Trichuris) was 36.1% (308/854). The infection rate of Ascaris and Trichuris was not different between male and female but increased with ages above 15 years old (97.7% vs 37.7%). However, hookworm infection was found higher (16.9%) in females compared to males (7.9%) (P<0.05) and most increased at the ages of 10 - 15 years old