Facial Hygiene Research Articles

Evaluation on Food Allergy in Young Females in the Age Group of 18-25 Years. A Study from Tamilnadu, India.

The development of allergies to foods, one of the most common forms of immune-mediated adverse food reactions, is characterized by the presence of IgE. Inflammation that is triggered by cell components and brought on by T lymphocytes and eosinophils may accompany it. Food allergy study was carried out at Sree Ramakrishna medical college of naturopathy and yogic sciences and hospital in Kulasekharam, Tamil Nadu, India. Females between the ages of 18 to 25 are participating in the study. After the purpose of the study was described, verbal consent was obtained. 30 people answered this questionnaire. The survey consists of thirty questions. The questionnaire parameters covered the following topics anxiety, skin diseases, facial hygiene, and digestive issues. Female participants who were unwilling or uncooperative were not allowed to continue with the study. Food allergies affect most women. They do not eat a healthy, balanced diet. The level of knowledge regarding the amount of food and water consumed is not typical. Thus, there is a greater need to educate women about the need to maintain excellent hygiene, eating a balanced diet, and drinking enough water. Future health care initiatives should focus on these areas to enhance the general health and well-being of young women.

Navigating diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in ocular manifestations of Hansen's disease and trachoma: A narrative review.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) encompass a group of approximately 20 diseases prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, closely associated with poverty, affecting over a billion people in low-income countries. This manuscript aims to explore the ocular manifestations and burden of two significant NTDs, namely Hansen's disease and trachoma while addressing gaps in understanding and management. Hansen's disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae , has a long history and presents with diverse neurological and ocular manifestations. Despite the availability of treatment, ocular complications persist, leading to significant visual impairment in some cases. The manuscript emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis, regular ophthalmic examinations, and follow-ups to prevent and control ocular complications, reducing the burden of visual impairment and blindness. Trachoma, caused by Chlamydia trachomatis , remains the leading infectious cause of blindness in underdeveloped and remote areas. The manuscript highlights the clinical diagnosis and implementation of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) SAFE (surgery, antibiotics, facial hygiene, and environmental sanitation) strategy to prevent transmission and associated blindness. However, challenges in health surveillance tools and underreporting of trachoma cases are addressed, emphasizing the need for improved strategies to combat the disease effectively. Through a comprehensive review of the ocular manifestations and management of Hansen's disease and trachoma, this manuscript contributes to the existing knowledge base and enhances a deeper understanding of these NTDs. Addressing gaps in understanding and management emphasizes the importance of implementing WHO's strategies and collaborative efforts to achieve the global goal of reducing the burden of NTDs and improving community health and well-being. The manuscript underscores the significance of early intervention, preventive measures, and technological advancements, providing valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and researchers working in the field of NTDs.

S SOSIALISASI PENCEGAHAN DAN PERAWATAN JERAWAT BAGI SISWA SMA NEGERI 1 NAMORAMBE

SMA Negeri I Namorambe is a high school located in Deli Serdang district, North Sumatra province. Most students often sweat and rarely clean their bodies, especially their faces. These students also often eat unhealthy snacks, so their hormonal conditions, especially growth-related problems, become unstable. As a result, health problems often arise, including acne. Delegates of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Deli Husada Deli Tua Institute of Medicine and Medistra Lubuk Pakam Institute of Medicine organized socialization of acne prevention and treatment for high school students. Through socialization, it is hoped that students can further improve personal hygiene, especially facial hygiene, and maintain a healthy lifestyle in the environment.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Hygiene and the Prevention of Trachoma in the Indigenous Population of the Colombian Amazon Vaupés Department

The Colombian program to end trachoma implements the component F of the SAFE strategy in the Vaupés department of the Amazon rainforest. Cultural, linguistic, and geographical barriers and the coexistence of an ancestral medical system demand the technical and sociocultural adaptation of this component. A cross-sectional survey combined with focus-group discussions to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the indigenous population related to trachoma was conducted in 2015. Of the 357 heads of households that participated, 45.1% associated trachoma with a lack of hygiene, and 94.7% associated the concept of hygiene with taking one or more body baths per day, using commercial or handcrafted soap. In total, 93% reported cleaning their children's faces and eyes more often when they have conjunctivitis, but 66.1% also did this with clothes or towels in use, and 52.7% of people shared towels; in total, 32.8% indicated that they would use ancestral medicine to prevent and treat trachoma. The SAFE strategy in Vaupés requires an intercultural approach to facilitate stakeholder support and participation to promote general and facial hygiene, washing clothes with soap, and not sharing towels and clothes to dry and clean children's faces for effective and sustainable elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. This qualitative assessment facilitated an intercultural approach locally and in other Amazonian locations.

Active Trachoma Prevalence and Related Variables among Children in a Pastoralist Community in Southern Ethiopia in 2021: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

An estimated 30% of trachoma burden is borne by Ethiopia. Data on the prevalence of active trachoma and related factors in a pastoralist population are currently lacking. Additionally, no research has been conducted in the Oromia, Guji Zone of the Liben District. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 538 children 1-9 years old in the pastoralist community of the Liben District from March 1 to April 30, 2021. A multistage systematic sampling method was applied to choose the sample. A structured questionnaire and WHO's trachoma grading scheme were used to identify active trachoma. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to determine associated factors. An adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was calculated to decide the level of significance: 157 (29.2%) (95% CI: 24.9, 33.1) of children had clinical signs of active trachoma, 103 (66%) had trachomatous follicles, 41 (26%) had trachomatous intense, and 13 (8%) had both. There was an independent relationship between active trachoma and open defecation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.75; 95% CI: 1.24, 6.09), defecating outside close to a house (AOR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.07, 6.08), not having a latrine (AOR: 3.70; 95% CI: 1.60, 8.60), children who did not wash their faces with soap (AOR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.10, 3.07), and being in a widowed household (AOR: 3.26; 95% CI: 1.57, 6.63). The study's findings revealed that about one-third of the children had clinical signs of trachoma. Research indicates that trachoma is a major concern for children in rural communities. Therefore, attention to trachoma control with antibiotics, facial hygiene, and environmental sanitation is strongly encouraged.

Expert System of Facial Skin Type Diagnosis and Skincare Recommendation Based on Certainty Factor

Facial treatment is an important need for everyone because the first sight of meeting someone is to see their face. Generally, facial skin type is just normal skin. However, several factors such as the environment, air, food, facial hygiene, and so on can affect the type of human facial skin. In this experiment, there were 5 types of facial skin, namely normal skin, dry skin, oily skin, combination skin, and sensitive skin. With the existence of various skin types, it makes some people confused in determining the type of facial skin. This also affects the selection of skincare or facial care according to the indications of each facial skin. Therefore an expert system was created to diagnose facial skin types. An expert system is a man-made system that is used to solve problems like an expert with knowledge from human to computer, although it does not give 100% absolute results, but expert systems are still helpful.

Analisis Faktor Risiko Akne Vulgaris Pada Pelajar

Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic skin disease in polysebaceous unit.The incidence of AV in Indonesia is 48-52%. Skin type and facial skin hygiene are triggers for AV. This disease is often complained to adolescents and become quite serious health problems. Someone with oily skin and lack of facial hygiene that can increase the AV phenomenon. Therefore, it is necessary to attend about skin types and facial hygiene to prevent the occurrence of AV in adolescents.It Is todetermine relationship between skin type and facial skin hygiene in teenager aged withtheexistence of AV inSMKMuhammadiyah2Malang.It use observational analytic study with cross sectional approach. Thesubjects were all students of SMKMuhammadiyah2Malang in academic year 2019/2020 who didn’t gettreatment AV from doctor. SamplingbyStratified Random Sampling, and found 79 respondents. Analyzed by Chi-squareand logistic regression.According to theChi-square test showed, other was a relationship between skin type (p=0.00) and facial hygiene (p=0.00) with AV. The logistic regression results showed thatskintype hadan effect (p=0.001) on AV with 54 times greater chance ofoilyskin type being exposed toAV.There’s relationship between skin type and facial skin hygiene in teenageraged withtheexistence ofAV inSMKMuhammadiyah2Malang.

Factors aggravating acne vulgaris during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey.

Acne vulgaris is a common skin disease worldwide. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients with acne complained of worsening symptoms. This investigation was designed to survey the impact of COVID-19 regulations on acne and guide patients with acne on symptom management during the pandemic. From April 7th to April 21st, 2020, an anonymous, self-completed, web-based questionnaire was distributed to patients previously diagnosed with acne (via the Chinese internet medical software). Information collected included patients' mask-wearing routines and behavioral factors including dietary habits, sleep habits, facial hygiene, and make-up use habits. 508 qualified questionnaire responses were collected. During the COVID-19 outbreak in China, there was an overall worsening of patients' acne symptoms (152, 29.9%). Behaviors including intake of sweets (34.9% vs. 16.0%, p<0.01), dairy consumption (32.9% vs. 23.3%, p<0.05), greasy (19.1% vs. 11.2%, p<0.05) and spicy food intake (30.3% vs. 14.3%, p<0.01) and mask-wearing frequency (>28 hours per week) (25.0% vs. 15.3%, p<0.05) presented a statistically significant difference between the acne aggravated and non-aggravated groups. Longtime mask-wearing (>28 hours per week), rather than the mask type, was significantly associated with acne symptom deterioration during the COVID-19 outbreak (odds ratio [OR]: 2.164; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.232-3.801). Besides the well-known risk factors, such as sweets intake, dairy consumption, and greasy and spicy food intake, wearing masks appears to trigger or aggravate acne during the COVID-19 pandemic. Limiting overall mask-wearing time may help to manage acne.

Значення фармацевтичної опіки при відпуску лікарських засобів для профілактики та лікування вугрової хвороби у жінок

вугрова хвороба займає третє місце у структурі дерматологічних захворювань&#x0D; та є актуальною медико-соціальною проблемою. Захворювання часто є причиною психоемоцій-них розладів, сприяє погіршенню якості життя та соціальної активності пацієнтів. Разом з&#x0D; тим, лікування вугрової хвороби є комплексним та довготривалим. Мета даного дослідження:&#x0D; оцінити роль фармацевтичної опіки при відпуску лікарських засобів для профілактики та лі-кування вугрової хвороби у жінок. Проведено анонімне опитування 100 дівчат-підлітків та&#x0D; жінок різних вікових категорій за єдиною спеціально розробленою анкетою, враховуючи про-блеми лікування вугрової хвороби. Використано методи анонімного анкетного опитування,&#x0D; комп’ютерного опрацювання даних та графічний. Встановлено, що більшість (82 %) респон-дентів вважали лікування вугрового висипу проблемним. Окрім того, лише 36 % опитуваних&#x0D; зверталися за допомогою до лікаря, тоді як більшість вдалися до самолікування. Основнимипрепаратами вибору були: кислота саліцилова (42 %) та азелаїнова (38 %), кліндаміцин (24 %),бензоїл перкосид (11 %), ізотетиноїди (10 %). В більшості випадків (58 %) було використанокомплексну терапію. Окрім того, майже 60 % опитуваних, на час лікування вугрової хвороби,&#x0D; приймали сорбенти, майже 20 % – комбіновані оральні контрацептиви. Більшість респонден-тів відзначали покращення стану після завершення курсу лікування (57 %) та щонайменше&#x0D; через тиждень терапії (29 %). Важливо відмітити, що 38 % опитуваних відзначали появунесприятливих побічних реакцій при застосуванні противугрових засобів, найпоширенішимисеред яких були: сухість шкіри ( 68,7 %), її почервоніння (56,3 %), посилення висипу (25,0 %) та&#x0D; свербіж (20,8 %). Окрім того, більшість (80 %) респондентів не дотримувалися гігієни об-личчя та намагалися «видавлювати» вугрі. Разом з тим, лише половина опитуваних отримали&#x0D; рекомендації щодо режиму та правил застосування противугрових засобів від аптечних пра-цівників. Тоді як надання рекомендацій аптечними працівниками, сприяло вірогідному зменшен-ню частоти побічних реакцій, після застосування противугрових лікарських засобів (р&lt;0,05).&#x0D; В межах фармацевтичної опіки, аптечні працівники визначають загрозливі стани що вимага-ють звернення до лікаря, надають рекомендації щодо правил та режиму застосування безре-цептурних лікарських засобів, здійснюють інформаційну та просвітницьку роботу щодо гігіє-ни обличчя, модифікації режиму харчування, здійснення немедикаментозних заходів. Отже, з&#x0D; урахуванням високої поширеності самолікування, використання декількох засобів, важливостідотримання правил гігієни шкіри обличчя, надання якісної фармацевтичної опіки є необхідноюумовою для досягнення максимально ефективної та безпечної терапії вугрової хвороби.

Seasonal variation in water use for hygiene in Oromia, Ethiopia, and its implications for trachoma control: An intensive observational study.

If facial hygiene practices vary seasonally this could have important implications for the design of interventions for trachoma control. This observational study was conducted to explore seasonal variation in hygiene behaviours in 9 households with at least one child aged 1-9 years-of-age in the West Arsi zone in rural Oromia, Ethiopia. Sixty-one household members were observed intensively over two days in the dry season (January), the rainy season (July) and during the harvest period (October) in 2018. Structured record forms were used to document household water availability and use. Daily water use per capita was very low in all seasons (3.1-4.2 litres). Around one third of water consumed in households in all seasons was associated with body washing. Soap was used during 44 of 677 (6%) of these observed occasions and half of all body washes (n = 340; 50%) included face washing. Overall, 95% of 58 individuals washed their faces at least once between 06:30h and 21:30h in the dry season (21% with soap), compared with 79% in the rainy season (2% with soap) (p = 0.013). Sixty-five percent of householders washed their faces during the harvest observation period (06:30h to 17:30h), none of whom used soap. Twenty-eight percent of 204 children aged 11 and under still had ocular or nasal discharge on their faces after washing. Seventy-three percent of those who washed their faces did so more than once in the dry season, compared with 33% in the rainy season (p<0.001). Face washing occurred throughout the day during the dry season, with a clear peak in the early morning and extra washes in the early evening. Face washing mainly took place in the early morning in the other two seasons. Genuine water scarcity in this area is likely to limit the impact of face washing interventions for trachoma control in the absence of water supply interventions. However, face washing was most common at the time of year when water is the hardest to come by, and seasonal differences in behaviour should be considered in any resulting intervention design.

The effect of advertising on the decision to purchase facial wash during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, cleanliness became the main everyday concern, particularly facial hygiene. Nowadays, the public has more time to access media; thus, it is expected that promotional media strongly influence the decision to purchase a facial wash. Aim: To determine the effect of advertising on the purchasing behaviour of facial wash during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional research enrolled 100 students of different majors from the Muhammadiyah University of Mataram, Indonesia. It used the advertising (ad) effect questionnaire to evaluate three advertising indicators, i.e. ad information, ad criteria, and ad component. One-way ANOVA and Spearman Correlation Analysis were used to process the data. Results: The overall correlation coefficient was 0.018. The correlation coefficients of each indicator were 0.487 for ad information, 0.02 for ad criteria, and 0.0673 for ad components. Conclusion: The results revealed an effect of advertising on the decision to purchase facial wash during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigation of demodex spp prevalence in medical laboratory students

This study focused on the prevalence of Demodex spp. in the students at Igdir University Vocational School of Health Services (VSHS) and on possible factors for this occurrence.The study was conducted with a total of 171 students (in the 18–52 age group, mean age: 21.33±3.14, of whom 73 were male and 98 were female) between January 2018 and May 2018. Samples were taken from the students’ faces - especially the nasal root, forehead, and cheeks - using the cellophane tape method. The samples were analyzed under a microscope, without dyeing,at 10X and 40X magnifications. To discover possible causes for the Demodex spp. prevalence, a survey was given to the same students.In this investigation, 59 out of 171 students were found to have Demodex spp. There was no immediate relationship between the prevalence of Demodex spp. and variables such as gender, age, family type, the presence of chronic disease, or facial hygiene. However, the ratio of Demodex spp. prevalence reached 19% in students who habitually ate dried nuts and fruits compared to those who did not.We concluded that the Demodex spp.the infestation was very high in students at VSHS. We also detected a negative correlation between the prevalence of Demodex spp. and the habit of eating dried nuts and fruits.

Evidence for contamination with C. trachomatis in the household environment of children with active Trachoma: A cross-sectional study in Kongwa, Tanzania

BackgroundTrachoma, a conjunctivitis caused by repeated infections with Chlamydia trachomatis, remains a significant cause of blindness worldwide. While mass treatments with azithromycin decreases disease and infection, re-emergence occurs, indicating that elimination may require other sustainable interventions. Environmental changes largely focus on facial hygiene and latrines, but further work to identify other possible transmission targets are needed. We sought to determine, in a cross-sectional survey of households of children with active trachoma, if we could detect the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis on household objects and on family members based on sleeping and caretaking patterns.MethodsIn five villages in Kongwa, Tanzania, children <five years were randomly chosen for examination for trachoma, and households of all children with active trachoma (n = 90) were eligible for this study. We administered structured questionnaires of sleeping and caretaking habits. Based on the responses, environmental swabs of bedding, furniture, clothing, and hands were taken and processed using Amplicor for detecting C. trachomatis DNA.ResultsOf 80 visited households, 13 (16%) had at least one swab from environmental sources positive for C. trachomatis DNA. A positive environmental swab was associated with the presence of ocular infection in the index child (Odds Ratio = 22.0, p = .007), the presence of an infant <1 year of age in the household, and whether the children’s clothing had not been recently washed.ConclusionsC. trachomatis DNA is present in the environment of children with active trachoma, especially in households with an ocular infection. Specific findings also suggest that washing hands, clothing, and bedding may be important.

Acne Status and Cognition of Adult Women Aged 18–45 in Fujian Province

Purpose: This study aims to propose a fundamental method in preventing the occurrence of acne in adult women and suggest an efficient way of protecting individuals who are highly vulnerable to acne. Acne, one of the most common skin problems, is characterized by a high prevalence and recurrence rate as well as difficulty to achieve a complete cure. Therefore, daily care for acne is important. Methods: Data were collected from May 1, 2019 to May 17, 2019. Frequency and percentage values were assessed using the SPSS program along with the chi squaretest. Results: Regarding the worsening factors, the first factor that aggravates the symptoms of acne is poor facial hygiene. The second non-dietary factor is chronic stress, and there are genetic causes for the symptoms. In addition, dietary factors include excessive intake of milk tea. The third factor is excessive sleeping or lack of sleep. According to the findings of the study, 1) most respondents answered that they had acne breakouts on their face or body; 2) most acne cases first occurred at the ages of 14–16 years; 3) there were irregular ongoing cases of acne over 3–5 years; and 4) most acne conditions were characterized by black-heads/white-heads. When acne worsens, the methods to treat it are frequently washing the face and drinking plenty of water. Moreover, squeezing the acne by hand, non-professional treatment, incorrect medical knowledge regarding acne, and lack of an appropriate medical diagnosis and prescription may worsen it. Conclusion: The study provided satisfactory and effective acne management scheme applicable to current daily living in addition to appropriate acne management and maintenance methods that will be useful for the skin-care industry.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Eye Problems among Older People in Central Tropical Region, Naypyitaw Union Territory, Myanmar

Purpose:Vision is essential one and it is proximately linked with their quality of life. In the meantime, older populations are increasing rapidly in the whole world and thus, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy are becoming common. Hot and dusty environment, inadequate access to water and poor facial hygiene are risk factors for blindness. Design: Lewe Township was purposively selected due to its high prevalent on eye problems. This cross-sectional study was conducted and simple random sampling was applied to achieve desired sample size. The structured questionnaires were used to collect data including screening of eye problems from 414 older population. Frequency, percentage, mean, SD and other descriptive analysis were determined and chi-square test for associations was constructed. Findings: Cataract was the highest prevalence rate with 40.8% followed by refractive error (27.3%) and pterygium (12.8%) among older people population in research area. While knowledge level indicated good level (88.4%), good attitude level (21.3%) and good practice level (27.1%) were noticeably low among older people. In the meantime, there were significantly associations between age (p=0.003) and education level (p=0.001) with knowledge level of older people while age (p=0.001), education level (p=&lt;0.001), occupation (p=0.038) showed statistically association with attitude level. Originality:The study noticed that higher prevalence of eye problems while relatively poor level of eye care seeking practice and unawareness on risk factors in targeted community. Knowledge and awareness for changing attitude about eye problems, eye care seeking behavior and preventive practices should be accomplished more.

The Modeling of Inverse Kinematics for 5 DOF Manipulator

This paper is the part of research aimed at creating robotic manipulator controlled by means of Brain-Computer Interface for improving household self-reliance of persons with disabilities and expanding the scope of their activity. The robotic manipulator gives possibility of self-fulfillment in basic household functions, s.a. drinking, eating, facial hygiene. The paper presents a mathematical model of the kinematics of the robotic manipulator. The solution of the forward and inverse kinematics problems based on the geometric method are given and obtained in MATLAB for the 5DOF manipulator.

Perspectives on Child Eye Health among Junior High School Teachers in Ledzokuku Krowor Municipality, Ghana

1.1.Aim: More than 80% of the information children receive about the world comes from vision. This underscores the truth that good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. The purpose of the study was to investigate the perspectives held by Junior High School teachers regarding child eye health. 1.2.Materials and Methods: In thisdescriptive cross-sectional study, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 346 teachers (mean age = 32.85±9.72 years) in the Ledzokuku Krowor Municipality. Descriptive statistics was computed and Chi-squared tests were done at a 5% significance level to assess statistical significance of associations. 1.3.Results:The outcome of this study showed that out of a total of 346 respondents, 90% of them was knowledgeable in red eye, 82% were knowledgeable in refractive errors and 80% showed knowledge in eye injury. Ninety-three percent of respondents identified blur vision as the commonest symptom of an eye problem whilst 91% reported red eye to be the most obvious sign of an eye problem among children. There was statistically significant difference between academic qualification and respondents’ knowledge on ocular conditions (p=0.01). Ninety-four percent of respondents were of the view that children with vision impairment can go to school and 94% of respondents agreed that poor vision can negatively impact a child’s educational performance. With respect to preventive eye health practices, 84% of the respondents suggested regular eye examination at least once a year, 40% recommended vitamin A intake and 23% suggested facial hygiene. 1.4.Conclusion:Overall, teachers in this study had adequate knowledge on ocular diseases and healthy practices that promote good visual health. It is recommended that teachers, eye care professionals, the media and other stakeholders collaborate to intensify eye health education in educational institutions in order to achieve VISION 2020 goals.

Active trachoma and associated risk factors among children in Baso Liben District of East Gojjam, Ethiopia

BackgroundTrachoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. It is common in areas where the people are socio-economically deprived. The aim of this study was to assess active trachoma and associated risk factors among children 1–9 years in East Gojjam.MethodsCommunity-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Baso Liben District from February to April 2012. A two-stage random cluster-sampling technique was employed and all children 1–9 years old from each household were clinically assessed for trachoma based on simplified WHO 1983 classification. Data were collected by using semi-structured interview, pre-tested questionnaire and observation. The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16 statistical package.ResultsFrom a total of 792 children screened for trachoma (of which 50.6% were girls), the overall prevalence of active trachoma was 24.1% consisting of only 17.2% [95% CI: 14.8, 20.1] TF and 6.8% TI. There were variations among children living in low land (29.3%) and in medium land (21.4%). In multivariate analysis, low monthly income (AOR = adjusted odds ratio) 2.98; 95% CI (confidence interval): 1.85-7.85), illiterate family (AOR = 5.18; 95% CI: 2.92-9.17); unclean face (AOR = 18.68; 95% CI: 1.98-175.55); access to water source (AOR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.27-3.15); less than 20 liters of water use (AOR = 4.88; 95% CI: 1.51-15.78); not using soap for face washing (AOR = 5.84; 95% CI: 1.98-17.19); not using latrine frequently (AOR = 1.75; 95% CI: 0.01-0.42); density of flies (AOR = 3.77; 95% CI: 2.26-6.29); less knowledgeable family (AOR = 3.91; 95% CI: 2.40-6.38) and average monthly income (AOR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.85-7.85) were found independently associated with trachoma.ConclusionActive trachoma is a major public problem among 1–9 years children and significantly associated with a number of risky factors. Improvement in awareness of facial hygiene, environmental conditions, mass antibiotic distribution and health education on trachoma transmission and prevention should be strengthened in the District.

Review: Targeting trachoma: Strategies to reduce the leading infectious cause of blindness

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that in 2002, 1.3 million people were blind due to trachoma, an eye infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. This review examines the evidence behind current strategies to reduce the global burden of trachoma. Trachoma disappeared from most western nations before the advent of antibiotics, probably due to improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene. The current effort to target trachoma, headed by the WHO and the Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020, is called the SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement) strategy. Surgery for trachoma is more cost effective than extra-capsular cataract surgery and can reverse trichiasis (in-growing eyelashes), but needs to be repeated every few years. A single oral dose of azithromycin can eliminate trachoma infection, but cannot be used in infants under 6 months old, and needs to be given every few years in communities with a high prevalence of disease. Improved health education and facial hygiene has been linked to a lower incidence of trachoma, but the evidence is less clear than for surgery and antibiotics. Pit latrines and spraying with permethrin insecticide may reduce the spread of trachoma via eye-seeking flies.

Reports on the Prevalence of Clinical Conditions Are More Convincing When Supported by Objective Evidence

Reports on the Prevalence of Clinical Conditions Are More Convincing When Supported by Objective Evidence