Table 3.
Risk factors associated with parasitic infections.
| Studies | Risk Factors | Summary of Findings |
|---|---|---|
| Afridi (2020) [42] | Socioeconomic background | Most children with parasitic infections belonged to low or low-middle SE groups, with 165/300 (55%) children from low SE, 90/300 (30%) from low-middle SE, 30/300 (10%) from middle SE and 15/300 (5%) from upper middle SE groups, respectively. |
| Aiemjoy (2017) [36] | Household income (socioeconomic background) | Higher prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides infections was found in children from families with a household income of <1USD/day with a 6.68 (95% CI 1.01, 44.34, p = 0.042) prevalence ratio. |
| Gutierrez-Jimenez (2019) [38] | Rural vs urban municipalities (socioeconomic background) | Intestinal parasitic infections were only found in children that lived in rural areas. No infections were found in urban children. There were contrasting conditions of rural houses compared to urban houses, where the former had earthen floor and no access to potable water. |
| Silva (2009) [47] | Family members (socioeconomic background) | Children that lived with more than 5 family members were more likely to be infected with G. lamblia (OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.2–2.8), p = 0.011). |
| Number of bedrooms (socioeconomic background) | Children that lived in a house with less than 2 bedrooms were more likely to be infected with G. lamblia (OR 1.5 CI (95% 1.1–3.0), p = 0.012). | |
| Have brothers/sisters <5 years old | G. lamblia infection was noted to be higher in those with brothers/sisters <5 years old (OR 2.7 (95% CI 1.5–4.5), p = 0.000). | |
| Tap water (sanitation) | Children without access to tap water experienced a 2.1-fold (1.3–3.3, p = 0.001) increased risk of acquiring Gl.lamblia infection. | |
| Sewage system (sanitation) | G. lamblia infection was more prevalent in children that lived in a house without a sewage system with an odds ratio of 1.8 (1.1–3.1, p = 0.030). | |
| Doni (2015) [50] | Maternal education (socioeconomic background) | Higher risk of infection in children with illiterate mother (OR 3.019 (95% CI 1.279–7.130, p = 0.012)). |
| Paternal education (socioeconomic background) | Higher risk of infection in children with illiterate father (OR 4.954 (95% CI 1.819–13.492, p = 0.012)). | |
| Poor economic situation (socioeconomic background) | Higher odds of infection found in children born into a financially poor family (OR 2.945 (95% CI 1.292–6.717, p = 0.010). | |
| Number of households (6 or above) | Higher risk of infections was found in children living with more than 6 family members (OR 2.865 (95% CI 1.233–6.667), p = 0.014). | |
| Children aged 36 months and below | Increased risk of infection in children younger than 36 months (OR 1.93 (95% CI 1.14–3.29), p = 0.036). | |
| Playing with soil (hygiene) | Higher risk of infections in children playing with soil (OR 4.956 (95% CI 1.856–13.528), p = 0.000). | |
| Not washing hands after toilet (hygiene) | Higher risk of infections in children not washing hands after the toilet (OR 6.369 (95%CI 1.361–2.941), p = 0.019). | |
| Wrong technique of washing hands (hygiene) | Higher infections in children not washing hands after the toilet (OR 6.369 (95%CI 1.361–7.299), p = 0.007). | |
| Ignatius (2017) [44] | Age of more than 1 year | Increased risk of G. lamblia infections in children aged >1 year with the following odds ratios: 1–2 years: 1.97 (1.08–3.59, p = 0.03) 2–3 years: 3.82 (2.06–7.07, p <0.0001) 3–4 years: 4.52 (2.65–7.72, p <0.0001) 4–5 years: 5.52 (3.15–9.70, p < 0.0001). |
| Breastfed | Lower risk of infections in breastfed children (OR 0.40 (95% CI 0.32–0.51), p <0.0004). | |
| Number of siblings | Higher risk of infections in children that had more than 4 siblings (OR 3.14 (95% CI 1.87–5.27), p = 0.0001). | |
| Yoseph (2020) [41] | Consuming raw vegetables and fruits | Higher risk of infections in children that consumed uncooked vegetables and fruits (OR 2.65 (95% CI 1.6–4.7). |
| Absence of sanitation facility | Higher risk of infections in children living without sanitation facilities (OR 2.9 (95% CI 1.6–5.3)). | |
| Wearing shoes | Higher risk of infections in children not wearing shoes (OR 3.5 (95% CI 2.–5.7). | |
| Family size | Higher risk of infections in children living with a large family (OR 2.7 (95% CI 1.5–5.0). |