Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)

Abstract Background Most of the studies conducted in Brazil assessing the relationship between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, have focused on cases, reflecting the reality of small areas and not of a countrywide situation. In order to fill this g...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kasandra Isabella Helouise Mingoti Poague, Sueli Aparecida Mingoti, Léo Heller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-05-01
Series:Archives of Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-021-00602-7
_version_ 1818597705697460224
author Kasandra Isabella Helouise Mingoti Poague
Sueli Aparecida Mingoti
Léo Heller
author_facet Kasandra Isabella Helouise Mingoti Poague
Sueli Aparecida Mingoti
Léo Heller
author_sort Kasandra Isabella Helouise Mingoti Poague
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Most of the studies conducted in Brazil assessing the relationship between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, have focused on cases, reflecting the reality of small areas and not of a countrywide situation. In order to fill this gap, the current paper presents an epidemiological study exploring the association between water and sanitation and STHs prevalence in students from 7 to 17 years old, in all 27 Brazilian Federation Units. Methods Three ecological studies were carried out considering the prevalence of ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm as outcome variables. The sample consisted of 197,567 students aged 7–17 years old living in 521 Brazilian municipalities. Data were retrieved from the National Survey on the Prevalence of Schistosomiasis mansoni and Soil-transmitted helminth infections (2011–2015). The Generalized Linear Model with the negative binomial distribution was used to evaluate the statistical association between outcomes and explanatory variables. Univariate and Multivariate analyses were conducted with 25 and 5 % significance levels, respectively. Data were aggregated considering municipalities as the geographical unit for analysis. Results Protective association was found between access to filtered water and adequate sanitation in schools with ascariasis (RR 0.989, CI 95 % 0.983–0.996; RR 0.988, CI 95 % 0.977–0.998), access to filtered water in schools with trichuriasis (RR 0.986, CI 95 % 0.979–0.993) and adequate sanitation at home with hookworm ((RR 0.989, CI 95 % 0.982–0.996). The percentage of population served with Bolsa Família Program, used as a proxy for poverty, was the only significant variable common to all models. Conclusions Our findings support that WASH, both in schools and homes, are essential to schoolchildren health with regard to STHs. However, sanitary interventions will not be fully effective in preventing STH infections without promoting access to quality public services, particularly for people living in poverty, the most vulnerable group.
first_indexed 2024-12-16T11:52:03Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a9df0306e59643368dd7f35d3f1d47ce
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2049-3258
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-16T11:52:03Z
publishDate 2021-05-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Archives of Public Health
spelling doaj.art-a9df0306e59643368dd7f35d3f1d47ce2022-12-21T22:32:41ZengBMCArchives of Public Health2049-32582021-05-0179111010.1186/s13690-021-00602-7Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)Kasandra Isabella Helouise Mingoti Poague0Sueli Aparecida Mingoti1Léo Heller2Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Minas GeraisDepartment of Statistics, Federal University of Minas GeraisRené Rachou Institute, The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in the State of Minas GeraisAbstract Background Most of the studies conducted in Brazil assessing the relationship between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections, have focused on cases, reflecting the reality of small areas and not of a countrywide situation. In order to fill this gap, the current paper presents an epidemiological study exploring the association between water and sanitation and STHs prevalence in students from 7 to 17 years old, in all 27 Brazilian Federation Units. Methods Three ecological studies were carried out considering the prevalence of ascariasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm as outcome variables. The sample consisted of 197,567 students aged 7–17 years old living in 521 Brazilian municipalities. Data were retrieved from the National Survey on the Prevalence of Schistosomiasis mansoni and Soil-transmitted helminth infections (2011–2015). The Generalized Linear Model with the negative binomial distribution was used to evaluate the statistical association between outcomes and explanatory variables. Univariate and Multivariate analyses were conducted with 25 and 5 % significance levels, respectively. Data were aggregated considering municipalities as the geographical unit for analysis. Results Protective association was found between access to filtered water and adequate sanitation in schools with ascariasis (RR 0.989, CI 95 % 0.983–0.996; RR 0.988, CI 95 % 0.977–0.998), access to filtered water in schools with trichuriasis (RR 0.986, CI 95 % 0.979–0.993) and adequate sanitation at home with hookworm ((RR 0.989, CI 95 % 0.982–0.996). The percentage of population served with Bolsa Família Program, used as a proxy for poverty, was the only significant variable common to all models. Conclusions Our findings support that WASH, both in schools and homes, are essential to schoolchildren health with regard to STHs. However, sanitary interventions will not be fully effective in preventing STH infections without promoting access to quality public services, particularly for people living in poverty, the most vulnerable group.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-021-00602-7Ascaris lumbricoidesTrichuris trichiuraHookwormWater, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)Risk factorsSchoolchildren
spellingShingle Kasandra Isabella Helouise Mingoti Poague
Sueli Aparecida Mingoti
Léo Heller
Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)
Archives of Public Health
Ascaris lumbricoides
Trichuris trichiura
Hookworm
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
Risk factors
Schoolchildren
title Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)
title_full Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)
title_fullStr Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)
title_full_unstemmed Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)
title_short Association between water and sanitation and soil-transmitted helminthiases: Analysis of the Brazilian National Survey of Prevalence (2011–2015)
title_sort association between water and sanitation and soil transmitted helminthiases analysis of the brazilian national survey of prevalence 2011 2015
topic Ascaris lumbricoides
Trichuris trichiura
Hookworm
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
Risk factors
Schoolchildren
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-021-00602-7
work_keys_str_mv AT kasandraisabellahelouisemingotipoague associationbetweenwaterandsanitationandsoiltransmittedhelminthiasesanalysisofthebraziliannationalsurveyofprevalence20112015
AT sueliaparecidamingoti associationbetweenwaterandsanitationandsoiltransmittedhelminthiasesanalysisofthebraziliannationalsurveyofprevalence20112015
AT leoheller associationbetweenwaterandsanitationandsoiltransmittedhelminthiasesanalysisofthebraziliannationalsurveyofprevalence20112015