Cross-sectional Household-based Study Research Articles

A Community-Level Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice about Dengue Fever and the Identification of Mosquito Breeding Containers in Dire Dawa City of Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Lately, dengue fever (DF) is an emerging viral disease, one of the top 10 threats to global health, causing 24 million–130 million symptomatic cases and 10,000–50,000 deaths yearly. DF threat has expanded beyond traditional areas of endemicity, with over 50% of the world population now estimated to live in areas at risk of dengue virus (DV) transmission. Hence, the current study aimed to assess the community’s knowledge, attitude, and practice about DF transmission and its prevention and to identify mosquito breeding containers in Dire Dawa City, Ethiopia. Methods. A household-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to September 2022. A semistructured questionnaire was used to collect data. Immature stages of mosquitoes were collected from human habitations to identify their breeding containers. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. A p value of <0.05 was used to declare a significant association between variables at a 95% level of confidence. Results. About 95.1% of respondents had information about DF, where the majority (58.0%) heard from relatives, friends, and families and 43.3% from health professionals. Only 17.9% knew DF was caused by viruses. Around 83%, 79%, and 50.8% of respondents knew that fever, headache, and back pain are the sign and symptoms of DF, respectively. Sadly, only 4.2% knew that DF vectors bite during day time and 10.5% of respondents did not know DF transmission season. The majority (80.5%) of respondents knew that DF is a preventable disease. Totally, 6,853 water-holding containers were identified, out of this 77% were jerrycans and 14.1% were barreled. Out of the identified water-holding containers, 7.73% were positive for mosquito larvae/pupae. House index (HI), container index (CI), and Breteau index (BI) were 19.5, 8.38, and 45.14, respectively. Conclusion. The majority of the community members has no awareness of the DF vectors, time of bites, pick transmission season, and their protection mechanisms. The habit to store water in and around habitation was prevalent. Hence, programmed and institutionalized awareness is mandatory for the control and prevention of DF and its vectors and for breaking the transmission cycle in Dire Dawa communities.

Household and Community Factors Affecting Nutritional Status of Under-five Children (6-59 months) in Gairo District Using Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure

In Tanzania, where the majority of under-five children are affected, undernutrition is still a significant public health concern. The study aimed at assessing the prevalence of undernutrition and its determinants among under-five children in Gairo District using a Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF). A household-based cross-sectional study was employed involving 300 under-five children with their mothers/caregivers in three wards in the Gairo District. Data collection on socio-demographics, dietary diversity, and healthcare factors were collected by interviewer-based semi-structured questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements using standard procedures were performed to collect anthropometric data. Odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval and p-value ≤ 0.05 were used to identify determinants of undernutrition. Prevalence of undernutrition using CIAF was 57.3%, whereby children with single failure were 105 (61%), double failures were 62 (36%) and triple failures were 5 (2.9%). Factors that were significantly associated with undernutrition were the nearest health facility (p = 0.014; OR: 0.504 (0.291-0.873)), place of delivery (p = 0.000; OR: 0.717 (0.107-0.490)), source of drinking water (p = 0.001; OR: 0.452 (0.283-0.722)), type of latrine (p = 0.000; OR: 21.338 (9.807-46.427)), household solid waste disposal method (p = 0.012; OR: 1.806 (0.682-1.964)), birth weight (p = 0.000; OR: 5.400 (2.625-11.109) and marital status (p = 0.00; OR: 0.403 (0.240-0.676)). Therefore, nutrition intervention efforts should be given to the factors reported to positively affect undernutrition.
 Keywords: Undernutrition, factors, Gairo, under-five, CIAF

The relationship between climate change induced natural disasters and selected nutrition outcomes: a case of cyclone Idai, Zimbabwe

BackgroundThe increased frequency of climate induced natural disasters has exacerbated the risks of malnutrition in the already vulnerable regions. This study was aimed at exploring the effects of Cyclone Idai on nutrition outcomes of women of child-bearing age and children under 5 years.MethodThe household-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Eastern Zimbabwe. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews to determine food consumption score (FCS) and household dietary diversity (HDDS), minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) and minimum dietary diversity for children (MDD-C). Severity of Cyclone Idai was grouped into five categories based on the extent of damage to infrastructure and loss of human lives. Association between continuous and categorical variables was tested using Pearson correlation test and Chi square test, respectively. Linear and binary logistic regression was performed to investigate determinants of food security.ResultsA total of 535 households were interviewed. There was a significant correlation between severity of Cyclone Idai and MDD-W (p = 0.011), HDDS (p = 0.018) and FCS (p = 0.001). However, severity of Cyclone Idai was not a determinant of any nutrition outcome, but gender of household head was a negative predictor of HDDS (β = − 0.734, p = 0.040), and marital status of household head was a positive predictor (β = 0.093, p = 0.016) of FCS.ConclusionThe findings provide a good baseline to inform future programming of food aid activities during disasters. More so, our findings call for evidence-based policies regarding composition of a food aid basket and targeting of beneficiaries. The main strength of this study is that it is the first to investigate the effects of cyclones on food and nutrition security indicators and is based on a large sample size thus making our results generalisable.

Sarcopenia e fatores associados em pessoas idosas residentes em localidades rurais ribeirinhas na Amazônia

Abstract Objective To estimate the prevalence of signs suggestive of sarcopenia and its associated factors in an older rural riverside population of the Amazon. Method A cross-sectional household-based study was carried out from April to June 2021 involving the universe of older people (age ≥60 years) living in nine rural communities on the banks of the Rio Negro, Manaus city, Amazonas state, Brazil. Signs suggestive of sarcopenia were identified using the Sarcopenia Formulary combined with calf circumference. Sociodemographic aspects, physical performance (static standing balance, gait speed at usual pace, and chair sit and stand), handgrip strength and self-reported health conditions (hypertension, diabetes, stroke, chronic low-back pain and multimorbidity) represented the explanatory variables. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to assess factors associated with signs suggestive of sarcopenia. Results Data from 98 older individuals (55.1% male) with a mean age of 69.6±7.4 years were analyzed. Results revealed that 50.5% had low handgrip strength, 52.6% disability/low physical performance and 43.0% multimorbidity. Sarcopenia was identified in 28.9% of participants and associated with higher age (PR=1.1; 95%CI=1.1-1.1) and greater number of residents in the household (PR=1.2; 95%CI=1.0-1.3). Conclusion The findings of the study showed a high prevalence of signs suggestive of sarcopenia (28.9%) among the population of older people in rural riverside areas of the Amazon, where higher mean age and greater number of residents in the household increased the probability of occurrence of this clinical condition.

Prevalence and factors associated with undernutrition among under-five children in Gairo district in Morogoro, Tanzania

Background: In Tanzania, under-nutrition is of most public concern as it affects human productivity in several areas like increasing economic costs to families and the country as a whole and impairing learning. Therefore this study aimed at assessing the prevalence and factors associated with undernutrition among under-five children in Gairo district, Morogoro. Findings from the study will help policymakers, and local and international organizations in designing appropriate nutrition policies and interventions to address undernutrition in rural areas.
 Methods: A household-based cross-sectional study was employed involving 300 under-five children with their mothers/caretakers in three wards in Gairo district. A structured questionnaire was used and anthropometric measurements were performed using standard procedures. Odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval and p-value at <=0.05 was used to identify factors associated with undernutrition.
 Results: The study revealed that the prevalence of stunting was 54.3% (severe stunting 26.3% and moderate stunting 28%), underweight 23.3% (severe underweight 7% and moderate underweight 16.3%) and wasting 3.7% (severe wasting 1.3% and moderate wasting 2.4%).
 Conclusion: The main factors that showed positive association were being a male, maternal occupation, child’s age, maternal education, birth weight, and illness in the past one month, area of residence, maternal age, and time of introduction of solid foods and leaving a child when being outside. The prevalence of stunting and underweight in the study area was higher compared to the national and regional prevalence. Thus due attention is needed while much attention should be given to the factors that showed a positive association.

Low prevalence of HIV infection among persons with disabilities in Niger: findings from a household-based cross-sectional study in 2018

ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to report for the first time the prevalence of HIV infection among people with disabilities (PWDs) in Niger. The Washington Group Short questionnaire was used to identify people with disabilities during a household survey. Blood samples for HIV testing were collected using the Dried Blood Sampling (DBS) method. HIV testing was performed according to the Niger national HIV testing guideline. A total of 21,979 persons aged 15–69 years were screened, of them 2237 (10.17%) had disabilities and 949 participants (4.32%) had severe disabilities (level 3 or 4). Finally, 821 participants agreed to participate in the HIV testing. Female persons with disabilities accounted for the majority (52.25%). People with physical impairment were mostly represented (39.27%) followed by those with visual impairment (38.66%). At least one-third had multiple impairs (36.91%). HIV prevalence among person with disabilities was 0.66% (95% CI: 0.33-1.30). There is no difference between HIV prevalence and type of disabilities or socio-demographic characteristics. Hence, there is a need to consider them in the development and implementation of an effective HIV strategy.

Prevalence and factors associated with HIV infection among people with disabilities in Mali

ABSTRACT Previous studies on HIV and disability have reported the vulnerability of people with disabilities (PWDs) to HIV and the need to include them in HIV prevention programs. However, in Mali, data on HIV among this population is scarce. This study aims to estimate HIV prevalence and risk factors among people with disabilities in Mali. We conducted a household-based cross-sectional study in six regions of Mali. The Washington Group (WG) short questionnaire was used to identify PWDs in the household. A total of 1051 PWDs were included in the study. The prevalence of HIV infection among people with disabilities in Mali was 2.38% (25/1051), with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.58%–3.44%. HIV prevalence was higher in women (3.31% [95%CI: 2.14–4.88]) than in men (0.78% [95%CI: 0.22–2.06]). People with visual or intellectual functional limitations were the most affected, with 3.93% (95%CI: 2.22–6.44) and 2.67% (95%CI: 0.56–8.28), respectively. Multivariate analysis shows that age, sex, type of disability and sexual violence are the risk factors for HIV infection among people with disabilities in Mali. These results suggest that HIV strategies should include people with disabilities in order to achieve the target of ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030 in Mali.

Knowledge and risk practices related to HIV infection in the general population, young men, and MSM in three Brazilian cities in 2019.

The study aimed to describe knowledge and risk practices related to HIV infection in three Brazilian cities in the general population, men 15 to 24 years of age living without a partner, and men that reported sex with other men (MSM) at least once in life. This was a cross-sectional household-based study with three-stage cluster sampling (census tracts, households, individuals) stratified by sex, age group (15-24; 25-34; 35-44; 45-59), and conjugal status in the individual selection. We estimated the proportions and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of indicators of knowledge, HIV testing, sexual behavior, and self-rated risk. We analyzed 5,764 individuals in Campo Grande, 3,745 in Curitiba, and 3,900 in Florianópolis. Low levels of knowledge were found for preventive methods, especially PrEP. Unprotected sex practices were frequent in the three municipalities. Lifetime HIV test rates were 57.2% (95%CI: 55.1-59.2) in Curitiba, 64.3% (95%CI: 62.7-66.0) in Campo Grande, and 65.9% (95%CI: 64.0-67.7) in Florianópolis. Among men 15-24 years of age, the proportions of stimulant drug use and unprotected sexual practices were higher than in the other age groups. Lifetime HIV test rates exceeded 80% in MSM. More than 30% of MSM were receptive partners in anal sex without condoms, and fewer than 5% assessed their risk as high. More effective communication strategies are needed on prevention of HIV infection, including increased knowledge that could motivate safer sexual practices.

Analysis of Food System Topics from the Consumers' Perspective in a Developing Country Context: Key Insights from ANRS Metropolitan Cities, Ethiopia.

BackgroundThe food system is an interdisciplinary global issue with substantial social and economic challenges. These challenges are most pronounced in developing countries, where chronic under-nutrition is prevalent. The long-standing notion has been to solve malnutrition and undernutrition primarily from the supply side through improving productivity and production. Nevertheless, addressing the nutrition paradox requires understanding consumers’ food choices and its drivers.MethodsThis study forms a part of a research project conducted in the ANRS, Ethiopia, in both urban and rural settings. To select study participants and collect data from the ANRS metropolitan cities, we used a household-based cross-sectional study and a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and the study used a descriptive research method and a quantitative research approach in its analysis. PCA was used to identify which topics in the food system are most important to consumers.ResultsTo identify widely held consumer interests, respondents were asked to report their interest in several relevant topics. The results show that food systems’ external impact, food safety, food nutrition, impact of other bodies on the food system, and food supply sustainability are the most crucial food topics where consumers are interested.ConclusionConcerned stakeholders who can help enhance household dietary practices in the study area; producers and other stakeholders who care about environmental sustainability and/or social values might use this information to adjust their production and marketing decisions to align with the food system topics that consumers identified as their priority.LimitationsWhile the PCA allows for the reduction of multiple indices into a single composite index, it may restrict the targeting of a particular aspect of the food system topic. As a result, the indices’ meaning, and implications should be made while keeping the downsides in mind.

Perceptions and prevention practices on malaria among the indigenous Orang Asli community in Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia

BackgroundMalaysia is on track towards malaria elimination. However, several cases of malaria still occur in the country. Contributing factors and communal aspects have noteworthy effects on any malaria elimination activities. Thus, assessing the community’s knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards malaria is essential. This study was performed to evaluate KAP regarding malaria among the indigenous people (i.e. Orang Asli) in Peninsular Malaysia.MethodsA household-based cross-sectional study was conducted in five remote villages (clusters) of Orang Asli located in the State of Kelantan, a central region of the country. Community members aged six years and above were interviewed. Demographic, socio-economic and KAP data on malaria were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics.ResultsOverall, 536 individuals from 208 households were interviewed. Household indoor residual spraying (IRS) coverage and bed net ownership were 100% and 89.2%, respectively. A majority of respondents used mosquito bed nets every night (95.1%), but only 50.2% were aware that bed nets were used to prevent malaria. Nevertheless, almost all of the respondents (97.9%) were aware that malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes. Regarding practice for managing malaria, the most common practice adopted by the respondents was seeking treatment at the health facilities (70.9%), followed by self-purchase of medication from a local shop (12.7%), seeking treatment from a traditional healer (10.5%) and self-healing (5.9%). Concerning potential zoonotic malaria, about half of the respondents (47.2%) reported seeing monkeys from their houses and 20.1% reported entering nearby forests within the last 6 months.ConclusionThis study found that most populations living in the villages have an acceptable level of knowledge and awareness about malaria. However, positive attitudes and practices concerning managing malaria require marked improvement.

Understanding the Patterns and Trends of Food Consumption in a Developing Country Context: The Case of Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

BackgroundFood and nutrition security continued to be a significant concern in the global food system. However, this system is not delivering optimal nutrition and health outcomes. Most low- and middle-income countries are burdened by persistent undernutrition and recently growing overweight and diet-related non-communicable diseases. One of the mechanisms for addressing this nutrition paradox is understanding consumers’ food choices and preferences. Thus, this study’s objective was to assess the patterns and trends of food consumption in a developing country context: the case of Amhara region, Ethiopia, and to identify market-based interventions involving specific foods and groups.MethodsA household-based cross-sectional study and multistage sampling technique were used to select study participants and collect data. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection, and the study adopted a descriptive research approach and a mix of complementary qualitative and quantitative methods in its analysis. A Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) to describe the respondents’ food consumption pattern was used in the study.ResultsFollowing FAO (2010)’s guideline, the HDDS score was calculated based on the intake of 12 food groups using a week recall data. The average HDDS was 8.5 out of 12 food groups. The average HDDS was relatively high, which might be related to the week recall in our data measurement period.ConclusionThis report seeks to understand consumers’ behavior by investigating several aspects of food choices, including household dietary diversity and food expenditures. The study also provides insights for researchers to further investigate the issue by adding other scientific databases and methods to draw more meaningful and implementable conclusions.LimitationsAlthough the sampling procedure was random, it might not be representative to study the patterns and trends of food consumption at a country or broad level due to its small size.

Prevalence of temporomandibular disorder and possible associated factors in a sample of older adults: population-based cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a group of conditions characterized by changes in the movements and function of the orofacial region and one of main reported symptoms is pain. As it has been increasingly described among different age groups, this study aimed to evaluate the presence of symptoms of TMD and their possible associated factors in older people from a city in southern Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional household-based study using a per cluster sampling strategy was performed including 282 older adults aged ≥60 years in the city of Veranopolis/RS. A clinical oral examination and a structured questionnaire were applied. TMD symptoms were evaluated with Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) questionnaire and divided into those “without TMD” and “with TMD” (the later including those reporting mild, moderate and severe TMD symptoms). Associations were performed by the chi-square or Mann-Whitney tests based on frequency distribution. Bi and multivariate analyses were performed using Poisson regression with robust variation to verify associations. RESULTS: Prevalence among older adults that reported symptoms of TMD was 30.5% (n=86). In the final multivariate model, female older adults presented higher prevalence ratio (PR) for symptoms of TMD, presenting 62.8% (p=0.040) higher PR to at least mild symptoms of TMD when compared to older adult men. Number of teeth, need for dental prosthesis or other demographic variables were not associated with symptoms of TMD. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated a prevalence of TMD symptoms in the seniors of approximately 30%, which was most associated with females. Despite its relevance in public health strategies focused on older adults, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to their observational and cross-sectional nature.

Frailty and oral health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study.

Poor oral health has been associated with frailty among older adults. However, limited evidence has been available on whether frailty can affect oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in older adults. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between frailty and OHRQoL among community-dwelling older adults. A household-based cross-sectional study involving community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older was conducted in the city of Bauru, Brazil. Data on frailty status, sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived dental care needs, and OHRQoL (OHIP-14) were collected through individual interviews. The use of and the need for total dental prostheses were assessed through clinical examinations. Logistic regression was used to determine whether frailty status and covariates were associated with OHRQoL prevalence measures (OHIP-14 total score ≥ 1 and OHIP-14 fairly/very often ≥ 1). The sample comprised 334 participants, among whom 58.7% and 41.3% were between 65-74 and 75-102 years old, respectively. The prevalence of moderate to severe frailty was 12.3%. Moderate to severe frailty (OR = 4.49; 95%CI 1.29-15.66), the need for lower dental prosthesis (OR = 2.20; 95%CI 1.27-3.81), and self-perceived dental care need (OR = 3.90; 95%CI 2.14-7.14) were associated with OHIP-14 total score ≥1. Moderate to severe frailty (OR = 2.95; 95%CI 1.33-6.55), being female (OR = 2.24; 95%CI 1.34-3.75), and self-perceived dental care need (OR = 4.80; 95%CI 2.86-8.03) were associated with OHIP-14 fairly/very often ≥1. Overall, our results showed that moderate to severe frailty was significantly associated with poor OHRQoL in community-dwelling older adults.

Obesity is associated with lack of access to dental care and physical activity among older adults: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the prevalence of obesity and associated factors among older adults. METHODS: This was a household-based cross-sectional study involving 282 individuals aged ≥ 60 years recruited in the city of Veranópolis, Brazil, using random probabilistic sampling. Participants underwent a clinical oral examination and completed a structured questionnaire. Obesity was determined based on body mass index (BMI). Individuals were divided into two groups based on the presence (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) or absence of obesity (BMI < 30 kg/m2). Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed using Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity was 34% (n = 96). Each 1-year increase in age resulted in a 3.09% decrease in the likelihood of being classified as having obesity (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.969; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.949 – 0.989). Older adults that reported walking < 5 or ≥ 5 times per week were 39.65 and 37.20% less likely to be classified as obese. The PRs of obesity in former and non-smokers were 4.40 and 5 times higher, respectively, than in current smokers (p < 0.05). Older adults with no access to dental care were 51.72% (p = 0.013) more likely to present with obesity. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of obesity among older adults. Obesity was associated with lower age, smoking status, no access to dental care, and a lack of physical activity.

Sleeping space matters: LLINs usage in Ghana

ABSTRACT Long Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN) is an effective malaria prevention mechanism. However, ownership of LLIN does not imply its use among households. The availability of enough sleeping space is a natural prerequisite to install and use LLINs. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of sleeping space and other socio-demographic factors of households’ heads on LLINs usage among households. A cross-sectional household-based study was conducted using a quantitative approach. Data was collected exclusively from households that received LLINs at no direct financial cost to them in a mass malaria campaign conducted in the study area using a structured questionnaire. A total of 383 households sampled for the study received 1,181 LLINs with a range of 1 to 15 LLINs per household. Less than 16% of households that received more than 2 LLINs installed all the LLINs they received during the distribution. Among households that received LLINs, 45% of them did not use them at all and 36% of them used them every night including the night before data collection. The number of bedrooms, children and members per household, and the number of occupants per bedroom were also found statistically associated with the use of LLINs among households. The study used a quantitative approach to investigate sleeping space in relation to LLINs usage and malaria control, an area and topic that has not been adequately covered in the literature.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Antibodies to Anaplasma spp. in Chile: A Household-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Healthy Adults and Domestic Dogs.

Background: Pet-related tick-borne infections constitute an emerging problem in human and veterinary medicine worldwide. In Chile, two pathogens of the Anaplasmataceae family, Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis, have been identified in recent years in dogs and vectors. This epidemiological survey aimed to determine the human and canine seroprevalence of Anaplasma spp. in urban and rural areas of different regions in Chile and to analyze the factors associated with seropositivity. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional household-based study in four regions, where healthy adults and their household dogs were included. Households were chosen by double stratified random sampling in urban areas and by convenience sampling in rural areas. Anaplasma seroreactivity was determined by a commercial microimmunofluorescence assay using Anaplasma phagocytophilum antigens. A questionnaire survey was applied to assess risk factors for Anaplasma seropositivity. Results: A total of 1105 persons and 905 dogs were included. The overall seroprevalence in humans was 9.4%, ranging from 5.6% in central Chile to 13.7% in the extreme north; in dogs the overall prevalence was 44.0% and ranged from 37.2% in the northern region to 61.1% in central Chile. Risk factors for human seropositivity were lower education and external deworming of dogs, whereas canine seropositivity was associated to urban site, mixed-breed, older animals, and tick infestation. Conclusions: This cross-sectional study suggests a broad exposure of both dogs and dog owners to Anaplasma or related agents in Chile. Further epidemiological and clinical studies are necessary to understand the complete spectrum and epidemiology of tick-borne zoonotic infections in the different ecoclimatic regions of Chile.

Characteristics of sanitation and hygiene facilities in a slum community in Kampala, Uganda.

BackgroundThis study assessed characteristics of sanitation and hygiene facilities in a slum community in Kampala, Uganda.MethodsWe conducted a household-based cross-sectional study among 395 households in Kasubi slum using a semi-structured questionnaire and observational checklist to collect data.ResultsAlmost 98.0% (387/395) of households owned a sanitation facility and 77.0% (298/387) shared it with other households. The most common type of sanitation facility was a pit latrine with slab (66.9% [259/387]). Most (90.5% [305/337]) latrines had a door or shutter, a roof (92.9% [313/337]) and a depth >1.5 m (68.2% [229/337]). Overall, 21.3% (84/395) and 65.6% (259/395) of households had improved and functional sanitation facilities, respectively. Only 16.5% (65/395) of the households had a hand-washing facility. Student-led (adjusted prevalence rate [PR] 2.67 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83–3.94]) and households that owned their house (adjusted PR 2.17 [95% CI 1.33–3.53]) were 2.67 and 2.17 times more likely to have improved sanitation facilities, respectively. Households that owned their house (adjusted PR 1.90 [95% CI 1.18–3.05]) were 1.9 times more likely to possess a hand-washing facility.ConclusionsThe coverage of improved sanitation and hygiene facilities was low. The majority of households were using a shared pit latrine with a slab that had no hand-washing facility. Sanitation and hygiene interventions should prioritize improving sanitation and hygiene facilities.

Hygiene and Sanitation Practice among Chepang Community in Rapti Municipality, Chitwan, Province 3


 
 
 
 Introduction: Safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are the fundamentals for improved standard of living, health and environment, education, gender equality, greater convenience and dignity. The main aim of this study was to assess the status of Hygiene and Sanitation practice among Chepang community of Rapti municipality.
 Methods: Descriptive Cross-sectional household-based study was done in the Chepang community. The study was done with 422 households which were selected through convenient sampling and written consent was taken. The Knowledge and Practice of respondent towards Hygiene and Sanitation practice were assessed through semi-structured questionnaire and the data was entered and analyzed in SPSS version 20. Univariate and bivariate analysis was done. Univariate analysis was done and presented through frequency and percentage. Whereas bivariate analysis was done by using chi-square test (p<0.05) was considered for association between dependent and independent variable.
 Results: Out of 422 respondents, 234 had adequate knowledge on hygiene and sanitation. Among 234, only about 93 respondent had adequate practice about hygiene and sanitation. Variables such as education level (p≤0.01), occupation (p≤0.035), age (p≤0.001), gender (p≤0.50) & knowledge (p≤0.002) showed significant association with practice on hygiene and sanitation.
 Conclusions: Based on study findings, due to different socio-demographic factors such as poverty, lack of roads and transportation, illiteracy, the practice of Hygiene and Sanitation was found to be inadequate.
 
 
 

Factors associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation and behaviours amongst sub-Saharan African adolescents aged 10-19 years: cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to determine the burden of depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviour amongst adolescents at sites in six sub-Saharan African countries and examine associated risk and protective factors. Household-based cross-sectional study involving male and female adolescents ages 10-19years. A total of 7,662 adolescents from eight sites in six countries participated in the survey. Three sites were urban: Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Harar (Ethiopia) and Ibadan (Nigeria); five were rural: Dodoma (Tanzania), Iganga/Mayuge (Uganda), Kersa (Ethiopia), Ningo Prampram (Ghana) and Nouna (Burkina Faso). Log-binomials models were used to estimate relative risks and confidence intervals for factors associated with depression and suicidal behaviour. This was supplemented using log-Poisson models as needed. The prevalence of suicidal behaviour over the last 12months ranged between 1.2% and 12.4% in the eight sites. Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation/behaviours were associated with older age, female sex, food insecurity, poor access to health care and substance use. Depression was strongly associated with increased risk of suicidal behaviour at two sites where the multivariate model converged: Harar, Ethiopia (RR=3.5, 95% CI 1.8, 7.0, P<0.05) and Ibadan, Nigeria (RR=3.7, 95% CI 2.2, 6.3, P<0.0001). Depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviour are common amongst sub-Saharan African adolescents at these 8 sites. Most factors associated with depressive symptoms are modifiable and preventable. Routine screening for depressive symptoms in services frequented by adolescents in these and similar communities would be crucial in early detection and prompt intervention.

Community awareness of diet needs associated with hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Hatcliffe, Zimbabwe

BackgroundDiet is an important modifiable risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension (HTN) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A NCD is a disease that cannot be transmitted from person to person. Dietary risk factors account for 5.8% of all-cause mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There has been an increase in the consumption of ‘westernized ‘diets in SSA. The westernized diets consumed in low-income countries are usually high in salt content, fatty, processed and fast foods; and hence accelerate the development of HTN and T2DM. Previous studies carried out in Zimbabwe showed low levels of knowledge and awareness of HTN and T2DM; and the dietary needs for patients with those conditions. The aim of this study was to explore the dietary habits and awareness of HTN and T2DM of both males and females in a high-density area (HDA) of Zimbabwe.MethodsWe conducted household-based cross-sectional study in a high density area of Hatcliffe, which has a population of close to 50,000 residents. Face to face interviews were conducted using hand-held mobile devices loaded with KoBo Toolbox. We selected two consenting adults, a male and female, from every fourth household in selected areas of Hatcliffe.ResultsIn this study all the 492 participants that were interviewed responded. Eighty eight point 6% (88.6%) of the participants in the study did not know if they were hypertensive or not. In addition, 91.7% of the participants had never voluntarily checked for hypertension. Similarly, 97.6% of the participants did not know if they had T2DM or not. Ninety eight percent (98%) of the participants had not voluntarily checked their blood glucose level.ConclusionsThe majority of the participants in the study were not aware if they had HTN or T2DM. The participants in the study perceived that the salt they consume is the right quantity. There is a high consumption of vegetable oil in most meals prepared.