Relationship between Infections and poverty levels in Njoro District in Kenya - Kosin Journal of Health Sciences
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Date
2020-05-23
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Daystar University, Kenyatta University, Kosin University
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted in selected rural areas of Njoro in Kenya to determine the socio-economic variables, poverty levels and disease control practices among the residents in 336 homesteads. The objective was to establish the relationship between parasitic diseases control practices, lifestyles and poverty levels among the residents in the rural areas. In addition, a retrospective study that involved recording of the frequency of parasitic and bacterial diseases diagnosed and treated in four randomly selected health centres, in the study area, from 2004 to 2009 was carried out. The results showed that the rural residents in the study area tended to have large families (68%), low education level (67%), high responsibility burden (67%) and a large number were living below poverty line (81%). The low economic status of residents coupled with certain lifestyles and practices pre-disposed the residents to infectious diseases. It was observed that ‘not boiling drinking water’ had a higher probability of occurring among the lower economic cadre of residents than in medium economic cadre [Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.36; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) of 1.38 – 4.03]. Occurrences probability of ‘not using a mosquito net’ (OR = 1.44) and ‘not using a toilet paper always’ (OR = 2.60) were higher in residents of low economic cadre. Retrospective survey showed that malaria had a higher frequency (42.75%), followed by typhoid fever (24.14%), Entamoeba histolytica (20.83%), Giardia lamblia (20.32%), intestinal worms (4.57%), Escherechia coli (3.35%) and Trichomonas hominis (1.63%). It was concluded that a combination of large family size, low education levels, high responsibility burdens, and low economic status contributed significantly to occurrence of infectious health conditions among rural residents in the study area.
Description
article
Keywords
parasitic infection, poverty, economic status, responsibility burden, odds ratio, kenya
Citation
Kinuthia, Geoffrey & Kiarie-Makara, Martha & Gicheru, Michael & Kabiru, Ephantus. (2020). Relationship between Infections and poverty levels in Njoro District in Kenya - Kosin Journal of Health Sciences.