Study Of The Association Of Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis With Malnutrition And Anemia Among School Children Debub Achefer District Northwest Ethiopia

Soil‐transmitted helminth (STH) infections are the major public health problems in many developingrncountries including Ethiopia. STHs are one of the major factors that cause malnutrition and anemia. Thisrnstudy was aimed to investigate the associations of intestinal STHs with malnutrition and anemia amongrnschool children. A cross‐sectional study was carried out and 384 schoolchildren were chosen usingrnstratified sampling technique enrolled in the study, Debub Achefer District, Northwest Ethiopia fromrnFebruary to March, 2010. Structured questionnaires were administered to gather relevant informationrnon demographic and socioeconomic data. Stool samples were processed for microscopic examinationsrnusing Kato‐Katz method. Weight and height were taken using a digital portable weighing calibratedrnSECA scale with a sliding headpiece. Epi Info version 6 software was employed to evaluaternanthropometric parameters. The NCHS growth chart reference was used to estimate the prevalence ofrnunderweight/thinness among 9‐14 years school children. Hemoglobin was determined using HemocuernHB 201 analyzer. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 15. Binary logisticrnregression analysis (OR) was used to determine association of STH with malnutrition andrnanemia, whereas Pearson chi‐square test was applied to compare proportions. The overall pointrnprevalence of STH infection in the study area was 54.9%, single, double, and triple infections beingrn45.8%, 8.6%, and 0.5%, respectively. The prevalence of hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichurisrntrichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, and Hymenolepis nana infections were 46.9%, 13.8%, 2.3%, 1%, andrn0.5%, respectively. The prevalence of malnutrition in terms of stunting, underweight and wasting werern12.2%, 30.7% and 17.9%, respectively. The overall prevalence of anemia was 17.2%. The findingsrnshowed that there was no statistically significant association between STH infections and malnutritionrn(P>0.05). However, there was significant association between STH infections and anemia (P

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