Health Sciences Journal 2024;13(1):31-37

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 1 ; Thereese Maeann C. Patron 1 ; Rydni B. Pastor 1 ; Maria Francel Charlyn N. Tan 1 ; Ranee Coeline B. Tongco 1 ; Josel R. Tanciongco 1 ; Patrick Joshua C. Pascual 1 ; Januario E. Sia-Cunco 2 ; Ramon Jason M. Javier 3

Affiliations

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Keywords

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis; Deworming prophylaxis

Country

Philippines

Language

English

Abstract

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.