Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
To control soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, the World Health Organization recommends school-based deworming programs with a health hygiene education component. The effect of such health hygiene interventions, however, has not been adequately studied. The objective of the present study was...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2013-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3772033?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818151373549600768 |
|---|---|
| author | Theresa W Gyorkos Mathieu Maheu-Giroux Brittany Blouin Martin Casapia |
| author_facet | Theresa W Gyorkos Mathieu Maheu-Giroux Brittany Blouin Martin Casapia |
| author_sort | Theresa W Gyorkos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To control soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, the World Health Organization recommends school-based deworming programs with a health hygiene education component. The effect of such health hygiene interventions, however, has not been adequately studied. The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of a health hygiene education intervention on the occurrence of STH re-infection four months post-de-worming.An open-label pair-matched cluster-randomized trial was conducted in Grade 5 schoolchildren of 18 primary schools (9 intervention and 9 control) in the Peruvian Amazon. Baseline assessment included interview with a pre-tested questionnaire and collection of single stool specimens that were examined using the single Kato-Katz thick smear. All schoolchildren were then treated with single-dose albendazole (400 mg). Schoolchildren in intervention schools then received 1) an initial one hour in-class activity on health hygiene and sanitation and 30-minute refresher activities every two weeks over four months; and 2) a half-day workshop for teachers and principals, while children in control schools did not. Four months later, STH infection was re-assessed in all schools by laboratory technologists blinded to intervention status. From April 21-October 20, 2010, a total of 1,089 schoolchildren (518 and 571 from intervention and control schools, respectively) participated in this study. Intervention children scored significantly higher on all aspects of a test of STH-related knowledge compared with control children (aOR = 18·4; 95% CI: 12·7 to 26·6). The intensity of Ascaris lumbricoides infection at follow-up was statistically significantly lower (by 58%) in children in intervention schools compared with children in control schools (aIRR = 0·42; 95% CI = 0·21 to 0·85). No significant changes in hookworm or Trichuris trichiura intensity were observed.A school-based health hygiene education intervention was effective in increasing STH knowledge and in reducing Ascaris lumbricoides infection. The benefits of school-based periodic deworming programs are likely to be enhanced when a sustained health hygiene education intervention is integrated into school curricula. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:37:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b2d08323dc04a36b99d73b7e00005e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T13:37:48Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b2d08323dc04a36b99d73b7e00005e52022-12-22T01:04:57ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352013-01-0179e239710.1371/journal.pntd.0002397Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial.Theresa W GyorkosMathieu Maheu-GirouxBrittany BlouinMartin CasapiaTo control soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, the World Health Organization recommends school-based deworming programs with a health hygiene education component. The effect of such health hygiene interventions, however, has not been adequately studied. The objective of the present study was to determine the effectiveness of a health hygiene education intervention on the occurrence of STH re-infection four months post-de-worming.An open-label pair-matched cluster-randomized trial was conducted in Grade 5 schoolchildren of 18 primary schools (9 intervention and 9 control) in the Peruvian Amazon. Baseline assessment included interview with a pre-tested questionnaire and collection of single stool specimens that were examined using the single Kato-Katz thick smear. All schoolchildren were then treated with single-dose albendazole (400 mg). Schoolchildren in intervention schools then received 1) an initial one hour in-class activity on health hygiene and sanitation and 30-minute refresher activities every two weeks over four months; and 2) a half-day workshop for teachers and principals, while children in control schools did not. Four months later, STH infection was re-assessed in all schools by laboratory technologists blinded to intervention status. From April 21-October 20, 2010, a total of 1,089 schoolchildren (518 and 571 from intervention and control schools, respectively) participated in this study. Intervention children scored significantly higher on all aspects of a test of STH-related knowledge compared with control children (aOR = 18·4; 95% CI: 12·7 to 26·6). The intensity of Ascaris lumbricoides infection at follow-up was statistically significantly lower (by 58%) in children in intervention schools compared with children in control schools (aIRR = 0·42; 95% CI = 0·21 to 0·85). No significant changes in hookworm or Trichuris trichiura intensity were observed.A school-based health hygiene education intervention was effective in increasing STH knowledge and in reducing Ascaris lumbricoides infection. The benefits of school-based periodic deworming programs are likely to be enhanced when a sustained health hygiene education intervention is integrated into school curricula.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3772033?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Theresa W Gyorkos Mathieu Maheu-Giroux Brittany Blouin Martin Casapia Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. |
| title_full | Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. |
| title_fullStr | Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. |
| title_short | Impact of health education on soil-transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the Peruvian Amazon: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. |
| title_sort | impact of health education on soil transmitted helminth infections in schoolchildren of the peruvian amazon a cluster randomized controlled trial |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3772033?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT theresawgyorkos impactofhealtheducationonsoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsinschoolchildrenoftheperuvianamazonaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrial AT mathieumaheugiroux impactofhealtheducationonsoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsinschoolchildrenoftheperuvianamazonaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrial AT brittanyblouin impactofhealtheducationonsoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsinschoolchildrenoftheperuvianamazonaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrial AT martincasapia impactofhealtheducationonsoiltransmittedhelminthinfectionsinschoolchildrenoftheperuvianamazonaclusterrandomizedcontrolledtrial |