Table 4.

Factors associated with poor performance in the sustained attention (code transmission test) among the 740 primary schoolchildren in Tororo, Uganda^*

Variables	n	Mean score 1–20 (SD)	Unadjusted mean difference between test performance	P value	Adjusted mean difference between test performance	P value
Plasmodium infection
Not infected	517	9.8 (3.5)
Infected	223	8.3 (2.8)	−1.5 (−2.01, −0.99)	< 0.001	−1.6 (−2.40, −0.81)	< 0.001
Sex
Male	346	9.6 (3.6)
Female	394	9.1 (3.1)	−0.5 (−1.04, −0.03)	0.038	−0.5 (−1.20, 0.13)	0.115
Age group (years)
6–10	448	8.4 (2.8)
11–14	292	10.8 (3.6)	2.4 (1.88, 2.83)	< 0.001	1.6 (0.94, 2.22)	< 0.001
WAZ (z-scores)
Not wasted	635	9.4 (3.4)
Wasted	105	9.0 (3.2)	−0.4 (−1.11, 0.21)	0.186	−0.2 (−0.76, 0.34)	0.461
Bed-net use in last 24 hours
No	478	9.5 (3.5)
Yes	262	9.1 (3.1)	−0.4 (−0.92, 0.06)	0.089
Helminth infection
None	684	9.4 (3.4)
Ascaris lumbricoides	38	8.8 (2.4)	−0.6 (−1.29, 0.07)	0.080	−0.2 (−0.87, 0.48)	0.573
Hookworms	15	7.8 (3.2)	−1.6 (−3.18, −0.04)	0.044	−0.7 (−2.51, 1.08)	0.437
Trichuris trichiura	3	9.6 (2.3)	0.2 (−2.14, 2.53)	0.873	1.9 (−0.03, 3.81)	0.047
Anemia
No	420	9.5 (3.4)
Yes	320	9.2 (3.3)	−0.30 (−0.67, 0.15)	0.191	−0.1 (−0.54, 0.36)	0.709
Distance to HF
≤ 500 m	74	9.48 (3.2)
> 500 m	666	9.40 (3.4)	−0.1 (−0.95, 0.79)	0.855
Socioeconomic group
Poorest	196	8.9 (3.4)
Poor	241	9.4 (3.2)	0.4 (−0.16, 0.97)	0.163	0.2 (−0.37, 0.75)	0.513
Less poor	120	9.8 (3.7)	0.8 (−0.01, 1.52)	0.053	0.7 (−0.01, 1.49)	0.051
Least poor	183	9.7 (3.5)	0.7 (−0.09, 1.43)	0.086	0.6 (−0.82, 1.19)	0.088
Maternal education
None	71	9.8 (3.8)
Primary	622	9.4 (3.3)	−0.4 (−1.33, 0.52)	0.386	−0.4 (−1.14, 0.39)	0.346
Above primary	47	9.7 (3.3)	−0.04 (−1.39, 1.32)	0.957	−0.3 (−1.38, 0.75)	0.560

^*Univariable and multivariable mean differences in test scores with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Age confounded Plasmodium infection and Helminth infections. Socioeconomic group confounded maternal education.

Interaction between sex and Plasmodium infection and sex with age.