Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices
Background In the first part of this study, we investigated the prevalence and associated key factors of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections among Orang Asli children in rural Malaysia; an alarming high prevalence and five key factors significantly associated with infections were reported. P...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2013
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| Online Access: | http://eprints.um.edu.my/8263/1/Towards_an_effective_control_programme.pdf |
| _version_ | 1825719512976064512 |
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| author | Nasr, N.A. Al-Mekhlafi, H.M. Ahmed, A. Roslan, M.A. Bulgiba, Awang |
| author_facet | Nasr, N.A. Al-Mekhlafi, H.M. Ahmed, A. Roslan, M.A. Bulgiba, Awang |
| author_sort | Nasr, N.A. |
| collection | UM |
| description | Background
In the first part of this study, we investigated the prevalence and associated key factors of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections among Orang Asli children in rural Malaysia; an alarming high prevalence and five key factors significantly associated with infections were reported. Part 2 of this study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) on STH infections among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was carried out among 215 households from 13 villages in Lipis district, Pahang, Malaysia. Demographic and socioeconomic information of the participants and their KAP on STH were collected by using a pre-tested questionnaire.
Results
Overall, 61.4% of the participants had prior knowledge about intestinal helminths with a lack of knowledge on the transmission (28.8%), signs and symptoms (29.3%) as well as the prevention (16.3%). Half of the respondents considered STH as harmful, while their practices to prevent infections were still inadequate. Significant associations between the KAP and age, gender, educational and employment status, family size, and household monthly income were reported. Moreover, significantly lower prevalence of STH infections was reported among children of respondents who wear shoes/slippers when outside the house (72.8%; 95% CI= 62.6, 80.5 vs 87.0%; 95% CI= 81.4, 91.1), wash their hands before eating (32.4%; 95% CI= 24.3, 42.2 vs 51.4%; 95% CI= 44.7, 60.1), and wash their hands after defecation (47.8%; 95% CI= 35.7, 57.1 vs 69.2%; 95% CI= 63.7, 78.7) as compared to their counterparts. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the educational level of the respondents was the most important factor significantly associated with the KAP on STH among this population.
Conclusion
This study reveals inadequate knowledge, attitude and practices on STH infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Hence, there is a great need for a proper health education programme and community mobilisation to enhance prevention and instil better knowledge on STH transmission and prevention. This is crucial for an effective and sustainable STH control programme to save the lives and future of the most vulnerable children in rural Malaysia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T05:20:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | um.eprints-8263 |
| institution | Universiti Malaya |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T05:20:53Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | um.eprints-82632019-08-26T05:12:14Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/8263/ Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices Nasr, N.A. Al-Mekhlafi, H.M. Ahmed, A. Roslan, M.A. Bulgiba, Awang R Medicine Background In the first part of this study, we investigated the prevalence and associated key factors of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections among Orang Asli children in rural Malaysia; an alarming high prevalence and five key factors significantly associated with infections were reported. Part 2 of this study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) on STH infections among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among 215 households from 13 villages in Lipis district, Pahang, Malaysia. Demographic and socioeconomic information of the participants and their KAP on STH were collected by using a pre-tested questionnaire. Results Overall, 61.4% of the participants had prior knowledge about intestinal helminths with a lack of knowledge on the transmission (28.8%), signs and symptoms (29.3%) as well as the prevention (16.3%). Half of the respondents considered STH as harmful, while their practices to prevent infections were still inadequate. Significant associations between the KAP and age, gender, educational and employment status, family size, and household monthly income were reported. Moreover, significantly lower prevalence of STH infections was reported among children of respondents who wear shoes/slippers when outside the house (72.8%; 95% CI= 62.6, 80.5 vs 87.0%; 95% CI= 81.4, 91.1), wash their hands before eating (32.4%; 95% CI= 24.3, 42.2 vs 51.4%; 95% CI= 44.7, 60.1), and wash their hands after defecation (47.8%; 95% CI= 35.7, 57.1 vs 69.2%; 95% CI= 63.7, 78.7) as compared to their counterparts. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the educational level of the respondents was the most important factor significantly associated with the KAP on STH among this population. Conclusion This study reveals inadequate knowledge, attitude and practices on STH infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Hence, there is a great need for a proper health education programme and community mobilisation to enhance prevention and instil better knowledge on STH transmission and prevention. This is crucial for an effective and sustainable STH control programme to save the lives and future of the most vulnerable children in rural Malaysia. BMC 2013 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.um.edu.my/8263/1/Towards_an_effective_control_programme.pdf Nasr, N.A. and Al-Mekhlafi, H.M. and Ahmed, A. and Roslan, M.A. and Bulgiba, Awang (2013) Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices. Parasites & Vectors, 6. p. 28. ISSN 1756-3305, DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-6-27 <https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-6-27>. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1756-3305-6-27 10.1186/1756-3305-6-27 |
| spellingShingle | R Medicine Nasr, N.A. Al-Mekhlafi, H.M. Ahmed, A. Roslan, M.A. Bulgiba, Awang Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices |
| title | Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices |
| title_full | Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices |
| title_fullStr | Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices |
| title_short | Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: knowledge, attitude, and practices |
| title_sort | towards an effective control programme of soil transmitted helminth infections among orang asli in rural malaysia part 2 knowledge attitude and practices |
| topic | R Medicine |
| url | http://eprints.um.edu.my/8263/1/Towards_an_effective_control_programme.pdf |
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