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Soil-transmitted helminthiasis: a critical but neglected factor influencing school participation of Aboriginal children in rural Malaysia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2012

ABDULHAMID AHMED ,
HESHAM M. AL-MEKHLAFI ,
MOHAMMAD NURUL AZAM ,
INIT ITHOI ,
ABDULELAH H. AL-ADHROEY ,
AWATIF M. ABDULSALAM  and
JOHARI SURIN
ABDULHAMID AHMED*
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
HESHAM M. AL-MEKHLAFI
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health sciences, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen
MOHAMMAD NURUL AZAM
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Statistics, Faculty of Economy and Administration, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
INIT ITHOI
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ABDULELAH H. AL-ADHROEY
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
AWATIF M. ABDULSALAM
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
JOHARI SURIN
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
*
*Corresponding author: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: +6 03 7967 3789. Fax: +6 03 7967 4754. E-mail: hamidmck@yahoo.com
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Summary

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), among the most common neglected tropical diseases, is a major public health problem in Malaysia with a possible impact on the nutritional status and school participation of rural children. This study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren, living in an endemic area for STH in Malaysia, to determine the possible relationship between intestinal helminthiasis and school absenteeism. We also evaluated whether successful treatment of the infection will affect school attendance among the subjects. Stool analysis revealed that more than 90% of the subjects were infected with at least 1 helminth species, with Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections being most prevalent. Infection of moderate-to-heavy worm burdens, low level of fathers' education and anaemia were identified as the significant predictors of high absenteeism among the subjects (P<0·05). Following treatment of the infected children, it was found that school absenteeism was reduced significantly (P<0·01). In conclusion, STH continues to have significant impacts on public health, particularly in rural communities with a negatively significant effect on the school participation of Aboriginal children. A school-based de-worming programme should be introduced and incorporated in the current educational assistance targeted towards the Aboriginal communities, under the auspices of the government.

Keywords

soil-transmitted helminthiasisabsenteeismschoolchildrenAborigines
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 139 , Issue 6 , May 2012 , pp. 802 - 808
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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