Table 2 Knowledge about intestinal helminths, symptoms, transmission and prevention among Orang Asli in the study area

HELP n (%)

Control n (%)

OR (95% CI)

P

HELP n (%)

Control n (%)

OR (95% CI)

P

Heard about intestinal worms

62 (69.7)

55 (72.4)

0.9 (0.4, 1.7)

0.703

80 (89.9)

59 (78.7)

1.6 (1.0, 2.7)

0.046

Source of information

Clinic/hospitals

11 (17.5)

11 (20.1)

0.9 (0.6, 1.5)

0.755

15 (18.8)

16 (26.7)

0.8 (0.5, 1.2)

0.264

Mass media

2 (3.2)

2 (3.7)

0.9 (0.3, 2.5)

0.890*

2 (2.5)

2 (2.5)

0.9 (0.3, 2.3)

0.760*

School/schoolchildren

3 (4.8)

2 (3.7)

1.2 (0.4, 3.5)

0.762*

27 (33.3)

4 (6.8)

3.9 (1.5, 8.9)

< 0.001

Posters

0

0

NA

-

44 (55.0)

0 (0.0)

NA

< 0.001

Do not remember

28 (44.4)

22 (40.0)

1.1 (0.7, 1.6)

0.626

3 (3.8)

19 (32.2)

0.4 (0.3, 0.6)

< 0.001

Type of worms

Roundworm

9 (14.3)

6 (10.9)

1.2 (0.6, 2.3)

0.583

26 (32.1)

8 (13.6)

2.0 (1.1, 3.9)

0.012

Pinworm

9 (14.5)

9 (16.4)

0.9(0.6, 1.5)

0.782

15 (18.8)

10 (16.9)

1.1 (0.6, 1.8)

0.785

Hookworm

0

0

NA

-

25 (30.9)

0 (0.0)

NA

< 0.001

Whipworm

0 (0.0)

1 (1.8)

NA

0.470

7 (8.6)

2 (3.4)

1.9 (0.6, 5.6)

0.211

Signs and symptoms

Know at least one symptom

26 (41.9)

25 (45.5)

0.9 (0.6, 1.4)

0.702

60 (75.0)

33 (55.9)

1.6 (1.1, 2.3)

0.018

Abdominal pain

6 (9.5)

10 (18.2)

0.7 (0.5, 1.1)

0.171

30 (37.5)

16 (27.1)

1.3 (0.8, 2.1)

0.199

Abdominal distention

4 (6.5)

5 (9.1)

0.8 (0.4, 1.5)

0.733*

16 (20.0)

5 (8.5)

1.9 (0.9, 4.2)

0.061

Diarrhoea

9 (14.5)

9 (16.4)

0.9 (0.6 (1.5)

0.782

29 (35.8)

13 (22.0)

1.5 (0.9, 2.5)

0.079

Vomiting

3 (4.8)

3 (5.5)

0.9 (0.4, 2.1)

0.881*

8 (10.0)

3 (5.1)

1.6 (0.6, 4.2)

0.289

Loss of appetite

2 (3.2)

4 (7.3)

0.7 (0.4, 1.3)

0.481*

13 (16.2)

5 (8.5)

1.6 (0.7, 3.4)

0.177

Pale face

2 (3.2)

1 (1.8)

1.4 (0.3, 3.7)

0.831*

9 (11.1)

3 (5.1)

1.7 (0.6, 4.7)

0.208

Body weakness

6 (9.5)

6 (10.9)

0.9 (0.5, 1.7)

0.804

15 (18.8)

7 (11.9)

1.4 (0.7, 2.7)

0.272

Preanal itching

7 (11.1)

8 (14.8)

0.8 (0.5, 1.4)

0.550

12 (15.0)

12 (20.3)

0.8 (0.5, 1.3)

0.410

Blood in stool

2 (3.2)

1 (1.8)

1.4 (0.3, 7.1)

0.762*

3 (3.8)

1 (1.7)

1.7 (0.3, 9.4)

0.637*

Poor school performance

0

0

NA

-

20 (25.0)

1 (1.7)

10.3 (1.5, 51.7)

< 0.001

Transmission

Know at least one way of transmission

24 (38.7)

20 (36.4)

1.1 (0.7, 1.6)

0.794

39 (48.8)

24 (40.0)

1.2 (0.8, 1.8)

0.303

Eating contaminated food

7 (11.3)

7 (12.7)

0.9 (0.5, 1.6)

0.811

16 (19.8)

7 (11.9)

1.5 (0.8, 2.8)

0.214

Dirty hands

11 (17.7)

3 (5.5)

2.3 (0.8, 6.5)

0.041

28 (33.8)

5 (8.5)

3.2 (1.4, 7.3)

< 0.001

Walking barefooted

8 (12.9)

3 (5.5)

1.8 (0.7, 4.8)

0.168

38 (46.9)

3 (5.1)

7.7 (2.6, 23.5)

< 0.001

Drinking untreated water

6 (9.7)

2 (3.6)

1.9 (0.6, 5.6)

0.196*

25 (30.9)

4 (6.7)

3.6 (1.4, 9.1)

< 0.001

Playing with soil

2 (3.2)

5 (9.1)

0.6 (0.4, 1.1)

0.251*

18 (22.5)

8 (13.3)

1.5 (0.8, 2.7)

0.168

Not cutting nails regularly

5 (7.9)

2 (3.6)

1.6 (0.5, 4.5)

0.447*

28 (34.6)

5 (8.5)

3.3 (1.5, 7.6)

< 0.001

Flies

0

0

NA

-

18 (22.5)

0 (0.0)

NA

< 0.001

Prevention

Know at least one way for prevention

24 (38.7)

28 (50.9)

0.8 (0.5, 1.1)

0.185

52 (64.2)

27 (45.8)

1.5 (1.0, 2.3)

0.030

Taking de-worming drugs

10 (16.1)

17 (30.9)

0.7 (0.5, 0.9)

0.058

24 (30.0)

21 (35.6)

0.9 (0.6, 1.3)

0.486

Washing hands before eating

10 (16.1)

9 (16.4)

1.0 (0.6, 1.7)

0.973

45 (55.6)

13 (22.0)

2.5 (1.5, 4.1)

< 0.001

Wearing shoes when outside

5 (8.1)

2 (3.6)

1.7 (0.5, 5.5)

0.445*

31 (38.8)

6 (10.0)

3.2 (1.5, 6.9)

< 0.001

Boiling drinking water

4 (6.5)

4 (7.4)

0.9 (0.4, 1.9)

0.840*

19 (23.8)

9 (15.0)

1.4 (0.8, 2.5)

0.286

Washing vegetables before consumption

0

0

NA

-

25 (30.9)

0 (0.0)

NA

< 0.001

Cutting fingernails regularly

2 (3.2)

1 (1.8)

1.5 (0.4, 3.9)

0.762*

18 (22.5)

3 (5.1)

2.3 (1.4, 4.3)

0.004