Health status of primary school children in central Tanzania.

Abstract

Along with an improved environment health education and some limited direct medical care provided by a teacher this Tanzanian project provides the 1st attempt to organize a rural based health information system. Personal details and health behaviors of students were obtained from interviews of each child in the study. Teachers were also queried about general health conditions in the school. Physical examinations eye screening and clinical laboratory tests were conducted on 785 students (359 were from project schools and 426 from the other primary schools in the same district). The data from this study adumbrate a dismal health status of the youngsters studied in terms of inadequate nutrition and widespread infectious disease. As the economic situation currently in Tanzania is not good the best immediate hope for improvement of the childrens health lies with environmental improvements in sanitation and water supplies. This study demonstrates that a survey of school children in rural Tanzania is possible with primarily indigenous resources. Careful records were prepared of the childrens names and villages so that continuing surveys could be made on the same cohorts as was intended. Furthermore some comparisons will be possible between children in schools at which considerable attention will be paid to relevant health education matters diet and adequate medical treatment when necessary with those schools not part of the school health project. The results of this study show comparability between the 2 groups as the project had just been initiated. Eventually hopefully all primary schools in Tanzania will be incorporated into a national health program.