Household Survey of Trachoma among Children Living in Pernambuco, Brazil.

Brito Brito,Costa Lopes Costa Lopes,Coelho De Andrade Coelho De Andrade,Montarroyos Montarroyos,De Medeiros De Medeiros,Barbosa Barbosa,Vieira Vieira,Ferraz Ferraz,Sá De Oliveira Sá De Oliveira,Campozana Gouveia Campozana Gouveia

doi:10.3390/pathogens8040263

Abstract

This study analyzed the association between individual and household factors and the incidence of trachoma among a population aged between 1 and 9 years in the state of Pernambuco. This was a population-based household study conducted using a population-based sample of residents from 96 census sectors of the 1778 sectors considered to be at social risk in the state. The estimated odds ratio of the univariate analysis presented a confidence interval of 95%. Weights and clusters were adjusted through the Generalized Linear and Latent Mixed Model (GLLAM) method. Trachoma cases were the dependent variable in the multivariate analysis. The independent variables were selected through the stepwise forward method, with an input criterion of 20% (p < 0.20) and an output criterion of 10% (p < 0.10). The prevalence was 6.65%. Trachoma was associated with a female sex, age of 5–9 years, either the absence of use or infrequent use of soap to wash the hands and face, the presence of nasal secretion, a lack of piped water from a public supply system, a greater number of rooms used for sleeping, a greater number of people living in the same household, and a family income of up to one minimum monthly wage. The prevalence of follicular trachoma in Pernambuco was higher than what is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Highlights

Associations of socioenvironmental factors within the field of healthcare have gained attention from the scientific community and international organizations [1]
Based In Brazil, which is a signatory to resolution 51/2011 [15], pilot surveys have been conducted on a household survey conducted in Pernambuco, the objective of the present study was to ascertain among populations that are considered to present a social risk in two states: Pernambuco and individual and household risk factors for trachoma among children aged 1 to 9 years
São Francisco, the more rooms that there were in a household, the greater the risk of trachoma was. This result goes against the results found in other surveys conducted in Brazil, which indicated that a smaller number of rooms presented a higher risk of trachoma [10,29]

Summary

Introduction

Associations of socioenvironmental factors within the field of healthcare have gained attention from the scientific community and international organizations [1]. Areas with inadequate sewage collection and treatment, precarious access to healthcare services, poor housing conditions, and low educational levels favor occurrences of neglected diseases [2], such as trachoma [3]. Trachoma is still considered to be the most important cause of avoidable blindness in the world [4]. The only source of transmission is humans with active trachoma [5]. Chlamydia trachomatis can be Pathogens 2019, 8, 263; doi:10.3390/pathogens8040263 www.mdpi.com/journal/pathogens. Pathogens 2019, 8, 263 transmitted either from person to person or indirectly, by means of sharing contaminated objects, in addition to mechanical transmission such as insects like theblindness houseflyin[6].

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