Factors associated to intestinal parasitism in day care centres of the municipality of Matanzas. Second semester, 2008

Abstract

We carried out an analytic, observational, transversal study of children assisting day care centres in the municipality of Matanzas, in the second semester of 2008, to identify the factors associated to intestinal parasitism. The sample was formed by 203 children who assisted two day care centres of the municipality. The parents of each child, with their previous accord, answered a survey with some data of epidemiologic interest, and were asked to collect samples of their children's feces that were studied by direct examination of the feces and the modified Willis-Malloy concentration method. To calculate the prevalence of the parasited children, the total of the parasited children was divided among the total of children in the study multiplied by 100. We carried out a bivariate analysis, where, in contingency charts, we crossed each one of the independent variables with the dependent ones. We calculated absolute and relative frequencies, the odd ratio with its 95 % confidence intervals and the Chi squared. Statistically significant results were considered when the confidence interval did not included the value 1 and p value of Chi squared was less than 0,05. Then, the possible confusion facts were controlled using the logistic regression through the SPSS program. As facts truly associated to these children's intestinal parasitism we found not washing the vegetables, barefoot walking and digital suction.