STUDY ON THE HUMAN WATER CONTACT AND SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS IN ENDEMIC AREA OF SCHISTOSOMIASIS JAPONICA / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

ABSTRACT

A quantitative study on human water contact was carried out in an endemic area of schistosomiasis japonica. The information relating to frequency, duration and intensity of each activities was obtained from 390 persons (93% of all) aged 5-59 and 10 days of each season in 1987 was surveyed by using systematic sampling. Socioeconomic investigation and stool examination were also performed on the same population. It is found that cutting grass and fishing are the most important activities, as well as swimming and bathing. The accumulated index ofexposure is high in spring and summer, low in autumn and rare in winter. The peak contact is 8-12 o'clock in the morning. The reasons of contact are different between males and females. And the peak contact is at teen aged youth. Studies on water contact and socioeconomic factors show that there are more contacts in peasants than in those with other occupations. Rich farmers who has more savings contact less. The contacts seem more frequent in those whose family water supply is from infected water. The stepwise regression analysis shows that the most important factor relating to the infection of schistosomiasis japonica are index B of exposure (accumulation of duration ? intensity). The infected water supply of family and education were two other factors relating to the infection.