Table 1.

Socio-economic, demographic symptomatology traits in association with CRC of the study population.

N = 273		Normal GIT		CRC		OR	95% CI	P-value
		n = 193	%	n = 80	%
Age
18 to 30		28	14.5	9	11.3	1.4a	1.2–1.5	0.001
31 to 40		42	21.8	6	7.5
41 to 50		45	23.3	15	18.8
51 to 60		44	22.8	16	20.0
61 to 70		18	9.3	19	23.8
over 70		16	8.3	15	18.8
age over50		78	40.4	50	62.5	2.5	1.4–4.2	0.001
Gender
Male		100	51.8	47	58.8	–
Female		93	48.2	33	41.3	0.8	0.4–1.3	0.30
Education
Did not go to school		10	5.2	9	11.4	–
Primary		58	30.2	31	39.2	0.6	0.2–1.6	0.31
Secondary		73	38.0	23	29.1	0.4	0.1–1.0	0.04
Tertiary		43	22.4	9	11.4	0.2	0.1–0.7	0.01
University		8	4.2	7	8.9	1.0	0.3–3.8	0.97
Household size
One		16	8.3	5	6.3	–
2–4 including children		59	30.6	19	23.8	1.0	0.3–3.2	1.0
4–6 including children		34	17.6	12	15.0	1.1	0.3–3.8	0.8
> 6 including children		17	8.8	12	15.0	2.3	0.6–7.9	0.2
Marital status
Single		48	24.9	14	17.5	–
Married		139	72.0	61	76.3	1.5	0.7–2.9	0.23
Separated		6	3.1	4	5.0	2.3	0.6–9.2	0.25
Familial history for CRC
1st degree relatives		7	3.6	2	2.5	ndb
2nd degree relatives		7	3.6	3	3.7	nd
Residence
Urban residence		107	55.4	35	43.8	–b
Rural residence		86	44.6	45	56.3	1.6	1.0–2.7	0.08
Own livestock
No		71	36.8	21	26.3	–
Yes		52	26.9	26	32.5	1.7	0.9–3.3	0.13
Contact with livestock
No		178	92.2	70	87.5	–
Yes		15	7.8	10	12.5	1.9	0.8–4.6	0.15
Occupation
Dependent		45	23.3	21	26.3	–
Employed		62	32.1	20	25.0	0.7	0.3–1.4	0.32
Business person		46	23.8	14	17.5	0.7	0.3–1.4	0.29
Self-employed		21	10.9	12	15.0	1.2	0.5–2.9	0.65
Casual labourer		16	8.3	13	16.3	1.7	0.7–4.3	0.23
Roof Material
Iron sheets		134	69.4	57	70.0	–
Roofing tiles		11	5.7	11	13.8	2.3	1.0–5.8	0.06
Grass thatched		1	0.5	1	1.3	2.4	0.1–38.9	0.54
Concrete		44	22.8	11	13.8	0.6	0.3–1.2	0.17
Source of drinking water
Tap water		139	72.0	55	68.8	–
Borehole water		31	16.1	12	15.0	1.0	0.5–2.0	0.95
Rain water/pondc		23	11.9	13	16.3	1.4	0.7–3.0	0.35
BMI
Underweight		15	7.8	8	10.0	0.9a	0.7–1.0	0.15
Normal BMI		73	37.8	37	46.3
Preobesity		54	28.0	22	27.5
Obesity grade I		28	14.5	6	7.5
Obesity grade II/III		23	11.9	7	8.8
Self-reported chronic health conditions						nd
Heart problems		8	4.2	5	6.3
High blood pressure		40	20.7	20	25.0
Lung problem		9	4.7	6	7.5
Stomach ulcers		44	22.8	21	26.3
Diabetes		11	5.7	7	8.8
Liver problem		9	4.7	3	3.8
Pneumonia		16	8.3	4	5.0
Any cancer		6	3.1	1	1.3
Arthritis		19	9.8	7	8.8
Recent weight loss		28	14.5	15	18.8
Recurring boils		9	4.7	2	2.5
Self-reported health conditions (5 days preceding the interview)						nd
Chills		27	14.0	13	16.3
Fever w/no chills		29	15.0	16	20.0
Fatigue		93	48.2	39	48.8
Flu-like illness		48	24.9	13	16.3
Loss of appetite		53	27.5	27	33.8
Coughing		51	26.4	18	22.5
Back pain		61	31.6	27	33.8
Stomach pain		79	40.9	41	51.3
Vomiting		27	14.0	13	16.3
Constipation		67	34.7	33	41.2
Painful joints		60	31.1	26	32.5

OR: odds ratio, not adjusted.

^aOR per unit change in ordered categories – presented is the linear effect determined by Orthogonal Polynomial Coding.

^bnot determined.

^crainwater/pond: rain water run off collected in water pans, lagoons or sand dams.