Scholarlink

<p>Intestinal parasitosis is a group of diversified illnesses causing significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Under-five Children in developing countries, like Ethiopia, face serious health issues due to intestinal parasites. There is paucity of information about intestinal parasites and risk factors among under-five children in Harar town, east Ethiopia. This study aims to assess the prevalence and risk factors of intestinal parasites among under-five children visiting public hospitals of Harar, eastern Ethiopia from November 21, 2023 to February 07, 2024. A facility-based cross-sectional study involving 351 under-five children was conducted in public hospitals in Harar, eastern Ethiopia. The study employed a convenience sampling technique to select participants. Fresh stool samples were collected and transported, then examined microscopically using the direct wet mount method, formol-ether concentration technique, and Modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Data entry was done using Epi Data version 4.6, and data analysis was carried out with SPSS version 27. Associations between independent variables and intestinal parasitosis were determined through bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. <i>p</i>-value &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Intestinal parasitosis affected 26.5% of the under-five children studied (93 out of 351), with a 95% confidence interval of 22 to 31. The intestinal parasites that were identified were: 7.41% (26/351) <i>Hymenolepis nana,</i> 4.84% (17/351) <i>Giardia lamblia,</i> 4.56% (16/351) <i>Entamoeba histolytica/dispar,</i> 2.28% (8/351) <i>cryptosporidium</i> species 1.99% (7/351) hookworm<i>,</i> 1.71% (6/351) <i>Ascaris lumbricoides</i>. Moreover, the prevalence of coinfection of intestinal parasites was 3.7% (13/351). The odds of intestinal parasitosis among children under five were higher when mothers were unable to read and write (AOR = 5.67, 95% CI: 1.74–18.49), when children's nails were rarely trimmed (AOR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.03–4.53), when caregivers washed hands only with water (AOR = 4.81, 95% CI 1.11–20.79), and when well water was the main source of drinking water (AOR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.04–7.25). One out of every four children under five was infected with intestinal parasites. The factors associated with infection were nail trimming habits, source of drinking water, educational background of mothers or caregivers, and handwashing with soap. Based on these findings, promoting health education about personal hygiene, ensuring the availability of potable water, and raising mothers’ and caregivers’ educational attainment to at least the primary level is suggested.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Intestinal parasites in children under five: prevalence and risk factors in public hospitals of Harar town, east Ethiopia

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月10日

查看全文
  • Solyana Teka Kidane,
  • Jemal Mohammed,
  • Beza Sileshi,
  • Ephrem Tefera Solomon

摘要

Intestinal parasitosis is a group of diversified illnesses causing significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Under-five Children in developing countries, like Ethiopia, face serious health issues due to intestinal parasites. There is paucity of information about intestinal parasites and risk factors among under-five children in Harar town, east Ethiopia. This study aims to assess the prevalence and risk factors of intestinal parasites among under-five children visiting public hospitals of Harar, eastern Ethiopia from November 21, 2023 to February 07, 2024. A facility-based cross-sectional study involving 351 under-five children was conducted in public hospitals in Harar, eastern Ethiopia. The study employed a convenience sampling technique to select participants. Fresh stool samples were collected and transported, then examined microscopically using the direct wet mount method, formol-ether concentration technique, and Modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Data entry was done using Epi Data version 4.6, and data analysis was carried out with SPSS version 27. Associations between independent variables and intestinal parasitosis were determined through bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Intestinal parasitosis affected 26.5% of the under-five children studied (93 out of 351), with a 95% confidence interval of 22 to 31. The intestinal parasites that were identified were: 7.41% (26/351) Hymenolepis nana, 4.84% (17/351) Giardia lamblia, 4.56% (16/351) Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, 2.28% (8/351) cryptosporidium species 1.99% (7/351) hookworm, 1.71% (6/351) Ascaris lumbricoides. Moreover, the prevalence of coinfection of intestinal parasites was 3.7% (13/351). The odds of intestinal parasitosis among children under five were higher when mothers were unable to read and write (AOR = 5.67, 95% CI: 1.74–18.49), when children's nails were rarely trimmed (AOR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.03–4.53), when caregivers washed hands only with water (AOR = 4.81, 95% CI 1.11–20.79), and when well water was the main source of drinking water (AOR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.04–7.25). One out of every four children under five was infected with intestinal parasites. The factors associated with infection were nail trimming habits, source of drinking water, educational background of mothers or caregivers, and handwashing with soap. Based on these findings, promoting health education about personal hygiene, ensuring the availability of potable water, and raising mothers’ and caregivers’ educational attainment to at least the primary level is suggested.