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Table 3 Univariate analysis of factors associated with polyparasitism among Orang Asli and Malay children in Terengganu (n = 340)

From: A tale of two communities: intestinal polyparasitism among Orang Asli and Malay communities in rural Terengganu, Malaysia

Variable

Orang Asli

  

Malay

  

No. examined

% infected

OR (95 % CI)

P-value

No. examined

% infected

OR (95 % CI)

P-value

Age

 School-age (≥ 6 years)

98

71.4

1.40 (0.72–2.71)

0.325

130

13.8

0.87 (0.34–2.25)

0.778

 Preschool (< 6 years)

67

64.2

1

 

45

15.6

1

 

Gender

 Boys

88

73.9

1.71 (0.88–3.31)

0.112

76

19.7

2.19 (0.92–5.19)

0.071

 Girls

77

62.3

1

 

99

10.1

1

 

Family size

  ≥ 7 members (large)

58

81.0

2.65 (1.24–5.70)

0.011*

89

18.0

1.88 (0.78–4.51)

0.156

  < 7 members

107

61.7

1

 

86

10.5

1

 

Father’s educational level

 Non educated

84

71.4

1.32 (0.68–2.55)

0.407

4

25.0

2.04 (0.21–20.45)

0.536

 Educated (≥ 6 years)

81

65.4

1

 

171

14.0

1

 

Mother’s educational level

 Non educated

69

79.7

2.57 (1.26–5.26)

0.009*

3

33.3

3.08 (0.27–35.34)

0.342

 Educated (≥ 6 years)

96

60.4

1

 

172

14.0

1

 

Father’s employment status

 Not working

126

71.4

1.74 (0.83–3.67)

0.143

40

17.5

1.38 (0.53–3.58)

0.508

 Working

39

59.0

1

 

135

13.3

1

 

Mother’s employment status

 Not working

136

69.1

1.18 (0.51–2.75)

0.705

134

10.4

0.32 (0.13–0.77)

0.009*

 Working

29

65.5

1

 

41

26.8

1

 

Household monthly income

  < RM 500

106

68.9

1.05 (0.53–2.08)

0.887

34

26.5

2.81 (1.12–7.08)

0.024*

  ≥ RM 500

59

67.8

1

 

141

11.3

1

 

Presence of toilet in house

 No

129

72.9

2.40 (1.12–5.14)

0.022*

0

0

na

na

 Yes

36

52.8

1

 

175

14.3

1

 

Source of drinking water

 Unsafe source (river, rain)

74

83.8

4.05 (1.93–8.53)

< 0.001*

0

0

na

na

 Safe source (pipe)

91

56.0

1

 

175

14.3

1

 

Presence of domestic animals

 Yes

109

77.1

3.13 (1.57–6.23)

0.001*

117

18.8

4.25 (1.22–14.84)

0.015*

 No

56

51.8

  

58

5.2

1

 

Washing hands before eating

 No

56

71.4

1.23 (0.61–2.49)

0.560

22

13.6

0.94 (0.26–3.45)

0.926

 Yes

109

67.0

1

 

153

14.4

1

 

Washing hands after defecation

 No

63

63.5

0.69 (0.35–1.35)

0.278

15

20.0

1.57 (0.41–6.01)

0.508

 Yes

102

71.6

1

 

160

13.8

1

 

Washing hands after playing with soil

 No

71

80.3

2.76 (1.35–5.65)

0.005*

39

15.4

1.12 (0.41–3.03)

0.824

 Yes

94

59.6

1

 

136

14.0

1

 

Indiscriminate defecation

 Yes

135

71.9

2.23 (1.01–5.02)

0.041*

0

0

na

na

 No

30

53.3

1

 

175

14.3

1

 

Eating soil habit (geophagy)

 Yes

29

65.5

0.85 (0.36–1.98)

0.705

11

18.2

1.36 (0.23–6.71)

0.703

 No

136

69.1

1

 

164

14.0

1

 

Garbage disposal

 Indiscriminately

57

66.7

0.88 (0.44–1.75)

0.715

23

17.4

1.31 (0.41–4.24)

0.648

 Collected

108

69.4

1

 

152

13.8

1

 

Cutting nails periodically

 No

52

69.2

1.05 (0.52–2.14)

0.889

25

12.0

0.79 (0.22–2.88)

0.724

 Yes

113

68.1

1

 

150

14.7

1

 

Wearing shoes when go outside

 No

100

80.0

3.88 (1.95–7.74)

< 0.001*

1

0

na

na

 Yes

65

50.8

1

 

174

14.4

1

 

Washing fruits before eating

 No

101

71.3

1.39 (0.71–2.72)

0.330

19

15.8

1.14 (0.31–4.25)

0.843

 Yes

64

64.1

1

 

156

14.1

1

 

Washing vegetables before eating

 No

77

77.9

2.33 (1.17–4.63)

0.015*

23

13.0

0.89 (0.24–3.24)

0.855

 Yes

88

60.2

1

 

152

14.5

1

 

Boiling/filtering water before drinking

 No

131

70.2

1.46 (0.67–3.21)

0.344

55

16.4

1.27 (0.52–3.09)

0.595

 Yes

34

61.8

1

 

120

13.3

1

 
  1. Abbreviations: RM Malaysian Ringgit; (US$ 1 = RM 3.2); OR odds ratio, CI confidence interval, na not applicable
  2. *Significant association (P < 0.05)