Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania.
<h4>Background</h4>Having a clean face is protective against trachoma. In the past, long distances to water were associated with unclean faces and increased trachoma. Other environmental factors have not been extensively explored. We need improved clarity on the environmental factors ass...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-10-01
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| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009902 |
| _version_ | 1819282984089419776 |
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| author | Xinyi Chen Beatriz Munoz Meraf A Wolle Geordie Woods Michelle Odonkor Fahd Naufal Harran Mkocha Sheila K West |
| author_facet | Xinyi Chen Beatriz Munoz Meraf A Wolle Geordie Woods Michelle Odonkor Fahd Naufal Harran Mkocha Sheila K West |
| author_sort | Xinyi Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Having a clean face is protective against trachoma. In the past, long distances to water were associated with unclean faces and increased trachoma. Other environmental factors have not been extensively explored. We need improved clarity on the environmental factors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma prevalence, especially when the disease burden is low.<h4>Methodology/principle findings</h4>A cross-sectional survey focusing on household environments was conducted in all 92 villages in Kongwa, Tanzania, in a random selection of 1798 households. Children aged 0-5 years in these households were examined for facial cleanliness. In each of the 50 randomly-selected villages, 50 children aged 1-9 years were randomly selected and examined for trachoma. In a multivariate model adjusting for child age, we found that children were more likely to have clean faces if the house had a clean yard (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.37-1.91), an improved latrine (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.22), and greater water storage capacity (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04), and if there were clothes washed and drying around the house (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.09-1.54). However, measures of crowding, wealth, time spent on obtaining water, or the availability of piped water was not associated with clean faces. Using a cleanliness index (clean yard, improved latrine, washing clothes, ≥1 child in the household having a clean face), the community prevalence of trachoma decreased with an increase in the average value of the index (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.17-4.80).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>Access to water is no longer a significant limiting factor in children's facial cleanliness in Kongwa. Instead, water storage capacity and the way that water is utilized are more important in facial cleanliness. A household cleanliness index with a holistic measure of household environment is associated with reduced community prevalence of trachoma. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e4f3cd09d81143e5ab8493f3a2d34c54 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:24:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-e4f3cd09d81143e5ab8493f3a2d34c542022-12-21T17:22:34ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352021-10-011510e000990210.1371/journal.pntd.0009902Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania.Xinyi ChenBeatriz MunozMeraf A WolleGeordie WoodsMichelle OdonkorFahd NaufalHarran MkochaSheila K West<h4>Background</h4>Having a clean face is protective against trachoma. In the past, long distances to water were associated with unclean faces and increased trachoma. Other environmental factors have not been extensively explored. We need improved clarity on the environmental factors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma prevalence, especially when the disease burden is low.<h4>Methodology/principle findings</h4>A cross-sectional survey focusing on household environments was conducted in all 92 villages in Kongwa, Tanzania, in a random selection of 1798 households. Children aged 0-5 years in these households were examined for facial cleanliness. In each of the 50 randomly-selected villages, 50 children aged 1-9 years were randomly selected and examined for trachoma. In a multivariate model adjusting for child age, we found that children were more likely to have clean faces if the house had a clean yard (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.37-1.91), an improved latrine (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.22), and greater water storage capacity (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04), and if there were clothes washed and drying around the house (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.09-1.54). However, measures of crowding, wealth, time spent on obtaining water, or the availability of piped water was not associated with clean faces. Using a cleanliness index (clean yard, improved latrine, washing clothes, ≥1 child in the household having a clean face), the community prevalence of trachoma decreased with an increase in the average value of the index (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.17-4.80).<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>Access to water is no longer a significant limiting factor in children's facial cleanliness in Kongwa. Instead, water storage capacity and the way that water is utilized are more important in facial cleanliness. A household cleanliness index with a holistic measure of household environment is associated with reduced community prevalence of trachoma.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009902 |
| spellingShingle | Xinyi Chen Beatriz Munoz Meraf A Wolle Geordie Woods Michelle Odonkor Fahd Naufal Harran Mkocha Sheila K West Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania. |
| title_full | Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania. |
| title_fullStr | Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania. |
| title_short | Environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in Kongwa, Tanzania. |
| title_sort | environmental factors and hygiene behaviors associated with facial cleanliness and trachoma in kongwa tanzania |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009902 |
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