Table 3.
Univariate analysis of factors associated with polyparasitism among Orang Asli and Malay children in Terengganu (n = 340)
| Variable | Orang Asli | Malay | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. examined | % infected | OR (95 % CI) | P-value | No. examined | % infected | OR (95 % CI) | P-value | |
| Age | ||||||||
| School-age (≥ 6 years) | 98 | 71.4 | 1.40 (0.72–2.71) | 0.325 | 130 | 13.8 | 0.87 (0.34–2.25) | 0.778 |
| Preschool (< 6 years) | 67 | 64.2 | 1 | 45 | 15.6 | 1 | ||
| Gender | ||||||||
| Boys | 88 | 73.9 | 1.71 (0.88–3.31) | 0.112 | 76 | 19.7 | 2.19 (0.92–5.19) | 0.071 |
| Girls | 77 | 62.3 | 1 | 99 | 10.1 | 1 | ||
| Family size | ||||||||
| ≥ 7 members (large) | 58 | 81.0 | 2.65 (1.24–5.70) | 0.011* | 89 | 18.0 | 1.88 (0.78–4.51) | 0.156 |
| < 7 members | 107 | 61.7 | 1 | 86 | 10.5 | 1 | ||
| Father’s educational level | ||||||||
| Non educated | 84 | 71.4 | 1.32 (0.68–2.55) | 0.407 | 4 | 25.0 | 2.04 (0.21–20.45) | 0.536 |
| Educated (≥ 6 years) | 81 | 65.4 | 1 | 171 | 14.0 | 1 | ||
| Mother’s educational level | ||||||||
| Non educated | 69 | 79.7 | 2.57 (1.26–5.26) | 0.009* | 3 | 33.3 | 3.08 (0.27–35.34) | 0.342 |
| Educated (≥ 6 years) | 96 | 60.4 | 1 | 172 | 14.0 | 1 | ||
| Father’s employment status | ||||||||
| Not working | 126 | 71.4 | 1.74 (0.83–3.67) | 0.143 | 40 | 17.5 | 1.38 (0.53–3.58) | 0.508 |
| Working | 39 | 59.0 | 1 | 135 | 13.3 | 1 | ||
| Mother’s employment status | ||||||||
| Not working | 136 | 69.1 | 1.18 (0.51–2.75) | 0.705 | 134 | 10.4 | 0.32 (0.13–0.77) | 0.009* |
| Working | 29 | 65.5 | 1 | 41 | 26.8 | 1 | ||
| Household monthly income | ||||||||
| < RM 500 | 106 | 68.9 | 1.05 (0.53–2.08) | 0.887 | 34 | 26.5 | 2.81 (1.12–7.08) | 0.024* |
| ≥ RM 500 | 59 | 67.8 | 1 | 141 | 11.3 | 1 | ||
| Presence of toilet in house | ||||||||
| No | 129 | 72.9 | 2.40 (1.12–5.14) | 0.022* | 0 | 0 | na | na |
| Yes | 36 | 52.8 | 1 | 175 | 14.3 | 1 | ||
| Source of drinking water | ||||||||
| Unsafe source (river, rain) | 74 | 83.8 | 4.05 (1.93–8.53) | < 0.001* | 0 | 0 | na | na |
| Safe source (pipe) | 91 | 56.0 | 1 | 175 | 14.3 | 1 | ||
| Presence of domestic animals | ||||||||
| Yes | 109 | 77.1 | 3.13 (1.57–6.23) | 0.001* | 117 | 18.8 | 4.25 (1.22–14.84) | 0.015* |
| No | 56 | 51.8 | 58 | 5.2 | 1 | |||
| Washing hands before eating | ||||||||
| No | 56 | 71.4 | 1.23 (0.61–2.49) | 0.560 | 22 | 13.6 | 0.94 (0.26–3.45) | 0.926 |
| Yes | 109 | 67.0 | 1 | 153 | 14.4 | 1 | ||
| Washing hands after defecation | ||||||||
| No | 63 | 63.5 | 0.69 (0.35–1.35) | 0.278 | 15 | 20.0 | 1.57 (0.41–6.01) | 0.508 |
| Yes | 102 | 71.6 | 1 | 160 | 13.8 | 1 | ||
| Washing hands after playing with soil | ||||||||
| No | 71 | 80.3 | 2.76 (1.35–5.65) | 0.005* | 39 | 15.4 | 1.12 (0.41–3.03) | 0.824 |
| Yes | 94 | 59.6 | 1 | 136 | 14.0 | 1 | ||
| Indiscriminate defecation | ||||||||
| Yes | 135 | 71.9 | 2.23 (1.01–5.02) | 0.041* | 0 | 0 | na | na |
| No | 30 | 53.3 | 1 | 175 | 14.3 | 1 | ||
| Eating soil habit (geophagy) | ||||||||
| Yes | 29 | 65.5 | 0.85 (0.36–1.98) | 0.705 | 11 | 18.2 | 1.36 (0.23–6.71) | 0.703 |
| No | 136 | 69.1 | 1 | 164 | 14.0 | 1 | ||
| Garbage disposal | ||||||||
| Indiscriminately | 57 | 66.7 | 0.88 (0.44–1.75) | 0.715 | 23 | 17.4 | 1.31 (0.41–4.24) | 0.648 |
| Collected | 108 | 69.4 | 1 | 152 | 13.8 | 1 | ||
| Cutting nails periodically | ||||||||
| No | 52 | 69.2 | 1.05 (0.52–2.14) | 0.889 | 25 | 12.0 | 0.79 (0.22–2.88) | 0.724 |
| Yes | 113 | 68.1 | 1 | 150 | 14.7 | 1 | ||
| Wearing shoes when go outside | ||||||||
| No | 100 | 80.0 | 3.88 (1.95–7.74) | < 0.001* | 1 | 0 | na | na |
| Yes | 65 | 50.8 | 1 | 174 | 14.4 | 1 | ||
| Washing fruits before eating | ||||||||
| No | 101 | 71.3 | 1.39 (0.71–2.72) | 0.330 | 19 | 15.8 | 1.14 (0.31–4.25) | 0.843 |
| Yes | 64 | 64.1 | 1 | 156 | 14.1 | 1 | ||
| Washing vegetables before eating | ||||||||
| No | 77 | 77.9 | 2.33 (1.17–4.63) | 0.015* | 23 | 13.0 | 0.89 (0.24–3.24) | 0.855 |
| Yes | 88 | 60.2 | 1 | 152 | 14.5 | 1 | ||
| Boiling/filtering water before drinking | ||||||||
| No | 131 | 70.2 | 1.46 (0.67–3.21) | 0.344 | 55 | 16.4 | 1.27 (0.52–3.09) | 0.595 |
| Yes | 34 | 61.8 | 1 | 120 | 13.3 | 1 | ||
Abbreviations: RM Malaysian Ringgit; (US$ 1 = RM 3.2); OR odds ratio, CI confidence interval, na not applicable
*Significant association (P < 0.05)