1.Association between knowledge and actual practices of family member caregivers of lowincome families on the prevention and control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in an urban barangay: An analytical cross-sectional study
Maria Eliza S. Pascual ; Thereese Maeann C. Patron ; Rydni B. Pastor ; Maria Francel Charlyn N. Tan ; Ranee Coeline B. Tongco ; Josel R. Tanciongco ; Patrick Joshua C. Pascual ; Januario E. Sia-Cunco ; Ramon Jason M. Javier
Health Sciences Journal 2024;13(1):31-37
Introduction:
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) remains to be highly prevalent in the Philippines,
despite the implementation of school-based bi-annual mass drug administration and other preventive
measures under the Garantisadong Pambata Program by the Department of Health (DOH).
Methods:
This analytical cross-sectional study determined the association between the level of knowledge
and the actual practices of family care givers in the prevention of STH among school-age children belonging
to low-income families in an urban barangay.
Results:
Among 193 respondents, 97.93% had good level of knowledge of STH prevention and control, 83.42%
had good hand hygiene practices, but only 39.90% adhered to the recommended bi-annual anti-helminthic
prophylaxis for their school-aged children. A positive association was noted between level of knowledge
and actual hand hygiene practices, but this was not statistically significant (i.e., prevalence odds ratio
= 5.3, p = 0.129). Among those who did not comply with the bi-annual anti-helminthic administration,
there was a prevalence odds ratio (POR) of 0.66 that the family care giver was knowledgeable on STH
prevention and control, and this negative association was not statistically significant (i.e., p = 0.529).
Conclusion
Level of knowledge on STH prevention was positively associated with hand hygiene practices
but was negatively associated with compliance with the bi-annual deworming prophylaxis. But these
associations were not statistically significant.
Hand Hygiene