PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATTED WITHSOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTHS INFECTIONS AMONG SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN Case study: Nkombo Island Period:22ndSeptember-5 th October, 2021

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with soil transmitted helminthes infections among school-age children at Nkombo Island, in Western Rwanda. The study adopted cross-sectional study and quantitative approach. During our study 100 stool samples were collected from 100 children in age of five to sixteen years old and all 100 stool samples were examined by Kato Katz concentration technique and then analyzed by an optical microscope. The Data analyses were done by using Microsoft Excel and statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software, Version 20.The study shows that the overall prevalence of STH among school-age children at Nkombo Island was 52 (52%), with Ascaris lumbricoides being the most prevalent 27(27%) followed by Trichuris trichiura 21(21% )and Hookworm with a prevalence of 4(4%). The knowledge was statistically significant at a p-value of 0.006; it was increasing within the age groups of the study respondents. There was no statistical relationship between being infected with STH and some of the risk factors of STH. The findings show that there was a statistical relationship between being infected with STH and washing hands after defecation with a p-value of 0.018. Not washing hands after defecation should lead to infections of STH in the school age children. Health promotion activities to enhance awareness are important in ensuring that the risks for being infected with soil-transmitted helminthes are minimal. Regular mass treatment anti-helminthic drug administration should be maintained so as to ensure that the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthes goes at a lower rate. We recommended nkombo health center to increase the education to the entire population about the cause and prevention of soil transmitted helminthes mainly school-age children; integrating methods of controlling soil transmitted helminthes which include health education so as to ensure health practices and to reduce risk factors for transmission of STH.Ministry of health in Rwanda and Rwanda education board have to build sufficient toilets at their schools and providing hygiene related material at schools for the prevention of soil transmitted helminthes.