Role of parent’s awareness and nutrition in children with intestinal parasites in iran

Fatemeh Motamedi,1 Mohammad hassan imaninasab,2 Hossein mahmoudvand,3,*

1. Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
2. Department of Public Health, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
3. Department of Medical Parasitology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran

Abstract

Introduction

Nowadays, social inequalities in health are considered as an increasing public health problem’ whereas socio-economic situation shows a considerable influence on health [1]. a range of socio-economic factors are related to the characteristics of the infectious disease in individuals including residence, education, parental education level etc. nutritional also status is a key indicator of health assessment. according to the previous studies, children from developing countries especially at school age have the maximum rate of morbidity to intestinal parasites in comparison with other ages. this study aims to evaluate the role of parent’s awareness and nutrition in children with intestinal parasites in iran.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study was carried out from august 2016 to april 2017 on 366 children (aged 2-15 years), who referring to health centers of lorestan province, iran due to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and/or fever). the microscopic analysis was accomplished on 366 stools by means of the direct smear, and formol-ether methods as well as trichrome and modified zeihl-neelsen staining methods. in this study applied questionnaire was designed to gain information about the children’s demographics data and other variables related to parasitic infections, such as age, sex, residence, parents education, consumption of raw or unwashed vegetables and fruits, consumption of raw milk/eggs, consumption of sausage and hamburger.

Results

The results showed that 84 children (22.95%) were infected with at least one or more intestinal parasites, statistical analysis showed that some risk factors were significantly associated to the prevalence intestinal parasites included gender (p<0.02), living in rural regions (p<0.001), and consumed raw or unwashed vegetables and fruits (p<0.001), consumption of sausage and hamburger (p<0.05) and parents education (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The obtained findings revealed that there is a close relationship between parent literacy level and the prevalence of intestinal parasites. moreover, the present investigation showed that some nutrition habits such as consumption raw or unwashed vegetables/fruits have a direct relationship with the prevalence of intestinal parasites. efforts should be made to strengthen and expand school and community-based programs such as parent education and nutrition advise that promote inexpensive, though effective, practices to prevent the spread of parasitic diseases in children.

Keywords

Intestinal parasites; nutrition, education; children