Epidemiology and Determinants of Soil-transmitted Helminthiases among Selected Primary School Children in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines: A Cross-sectional Study

Soil-transmitted Helminth (STH) infections are one of the top causes of morbidity among primary school children. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence, infection rate, and determinants of STH infection among primary school children aged 7-10 years old in Barangay Balzain, Tuguegarao City. Thirty-two Grade 1 and 2 pupils from Balzain East Elementary School were selected through purposive random sampling. Direct fecal smear testing of stool samples elucidated the prevalence of ascariasis and trichuriasis in primary school children. Data such as socio-demographic, water source, environmental sanitation, personal hygiene and health status were collected to better understand the correlation of these factors with STH infection. STH infection was found to be more prevalent [25% (95% CI: 6.02-43.98) ] than Grade 1 pupils [16.67% (95% CI: -4.42-37.76)]. The relative prevalence rate was 21.88% (95% CI: 7.56-36.20), which has a qualitative interpretation of a good environmental sanitation behavior. Number of siblings was positively correlated (p<0.05) with STH infection. Through a multiple logistic regression analysis, it was found out that a family with one additional child increases the probability of STH infection by about a factor of 4.2192 (p<0.05). All of these findings indicate further that a good sanitation is associated with a reduced risk of transmission of STH to primary school children. Identifying factors that contribute to the dynamics of STH transmission in vulnerable groups can help to plan for effective prevention strategies.