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Table 3 Attitude and perceived practices towards intestinal helminths among Orang Asli in the study area

From: Developing and evaluating health education learning package (HELP) to control soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli children in Malaysia

Variable

Baseline assessment

 

3 months assessment

 

HELP n (%)

Control n (%)

OR (95% CI)

P

HELP n (%)

Control n (%)

OR (95% CI)

P

Effects of intestinal helminths

        

Harmful to peoples’ health

36 (40.4%

26 (34.2)

1.2 (0.8, 1.9)

0.348

76 (85.4)

32 (42.1)

2.6 (1.9, 3.6)

< 0.001

Do not know

53 (59.6)

50 (65.8)

-

-

13 (14.6)

44 (57.9)

-

-

Faeces as source of infections

        

Yes

24 (27.0)

28 (36.8)

0.7 (0.3, 1.7)

0.276

45 (50.6)

34 (44.7)

1.2 (0.7, 2.3)

0.620

No

1 (1.1)

2 (2.6)

-

-

1 (1.1)

2 (2.6)

-

-

Do not know

64 (71.9)

46 (60.5)

-

-

43 (48.3)

40 (52.6)

-

-

Practices

        

Washing hand before eating

34 (38.2)

33 (43.4)

0.8 (0.4, 1.5)

0.469

80 (89.9)

38 (50.0)

3.5 (1.9, 6.4)

< 0.001

Washing hand after defecation

49 (55.1)

41 (53.9)

1.0 (0.6, 1.9)

0.887

73 (82.0)

43 (56.6)

3.5 (1.7, 7.1)

< 0.001

Washing hand with soap

16 (18.0)

18 (23.7)

0.7 (0.3, 1.5)

0.366

60 (67.4)

18 (23.7)

6.5 (3.2, 13.1)

< 0.001

Wearing shoes when outside

50 (56.2)

37 (48.7)

1.4 (0.7, 2.8)

0.336

81 (91.0)

41 (53.9)

8.6 (3.6, 20.3)

< 0.001

Cutting fingernails regularly

36 (40.4)

35 (46.1)

0.7 (0.5, 1.1)

0.469

68 (76.4)

46 (60.5)

2.1 (1.1, 4.1)

0.028

Washing vegetables before eating

33 (37.1)

31 (41.3)

0.8 (0.4, 1.6)

0.578

64 (71.9)

35 (46.7)

2.9 (1.5, 5.6)

0.001

Washing of fruits before eating

29 (32.6)

30 (39.5)

0.7 (0.4, 1.4)

0.357

53 (59.6)

34 (44.7)

1.8 (0.9, 3.3)

0.057

Boiling drinking water

21 (23.9)

17 (22.7)

1.0 (0.4, 2.6)

0.857

32 (36.4)

17 (22.7)

1.9 (0.9,3.9)

0.062

Indiscriminate defecation

58 (65.2)

51 (67.1)

0.9 (0.7, 1.4)

0.793

41 (46.1)

47 (61.8)

0.7 (0.5, 0.9)

0.043

Seeking treatment from clinic

88 (98.9)

71 (94.7)

1.2 (0.6, 2.7)

0.180

88 (100)

70 (93.3)

1.0 (0.5, 2.8)

0.094

  1. OR, Odds ratio. CI, Confidence interval. NA, Not applicable due to small numbers.
  2. Significant association (P < 0.05).