Table 3 Associations of knowledge of Orang Asli participants about intestinal helminths with age and gender

–Heard about worms

59(56.2)

73(66.4)

0.7

0.4, 1.1

56(62.2)

76 (60.8)

1.1

0.6, 1.9

Signs and symptoms:

–At least one symptom

28(26.7)

35(31.8)

0.8

0.4, 1.4

30(33.3)

33(26.4)

1.4

0.8, 2.5

–Abdominal pain

7(6.7)

14(12.7)

0.5

0.2, 1.3

13(14.4)

8(6.4)

2.4

1.0, 6.2*

–Abdominal distension

10(9.5)

11(10.0)

0.9

0.4, 2.3

13(14.4)

8(6.4)

2.4

1.0, 6.2*

–Vomiting

6(5.7)

9(8.2)

0.7

0.2, 1.9

6(6.7)

9(7.2)

0.9

0.3, 2.7

–Diarrhoea

5(4.8)

14(12.7)

0.3

0.1, 0.9*

11(12.2)

8(6.4)

2.0

0.8, 5.3

–Lack of appetite

6(5.7)

10 (9.1)

0.6

0.2, 1.7

7(7.8)

9(7.2)

1.1

0.4, 3.0

–Pale face

5(4.8)

7(6.4)

0.7

0.2, 2.4

4(4.4)

8(6.4)

0.7

0.2, 2.3

Transmission:

–At least one way of transmission

29(27.6)

33(30.0)

0.9

0.5, 1.6

29(32.2)

32(25.8)

1.4

0.8, 2.5

–Playing with soil

6(5.7)

6(5.5)

1.1

0.3, 3.4

7(7.8)

5(4.0)

0.5

0.2, 1.6

–Stagnant water

6(5.7)

8(7.3)

0.8

0.3, 2.3

9(10.0)

5(4.0)

2.6

0.8, 7.2

–Dirty hands

4(3.8)

11(10.0)

0.4

0.1, 1.2

4 (4.4)

11(8.8)

0.4

0.1, 1.6

–Walking barefooted

5(4.8)

10(9.1)

0.5

0.2, 1.5

6(6.7)

9(7.2)

0.9

0.3, 2.7

–Eating contaminated food

11(10.5)

6(5.5)

2.0

0.7, 5.7

10(11.1)

7(5.6)

2.1

0.8, 5.7

Prevention:

–At least one preventive measure

13(12.4)

22 (20)

0.6

0.3, 1.2

20(22.2)

15(12.0)

2.1

1.0, 4.4*

–Washing hands before eating

6(5.7)

10(9.1)

0.6

0.2, 1.7

9(10.0)

7(5.6)

1.8

0.7, 5.2

–Wearing shoes when outside the house

4(3.8)

9(8.2)

0.4

0.1, 1.5

7(7.8)

6(4.8)

1.7

0.5, 5.1

–Taking de-worming drugs

8(7.6)

10(9.1)

0.8

0.3, 2.2

12(13.3)

6(4.8)

3.1

1.1, 6.4*