Factors related to hookworm infection among farmers in Phu Xuan sub-district, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam

Abstract

            The study aimed to determine factors related to hookworm infection among farmers in Phu Xuan sub-district, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. Two hundred and twelve farmers were randomly selected by using a simple random technique. They agreed to answer the questionnaire developed by the researcher and feces samples also were collected in a clean plastic bottle. The Kato-Katz technique was used to determine eggs of hookworm infection in the feces samples. Analysis of factors related to hookworm infection by using Chi-square test and Pearson correlation.            The results showed that the majority of the farmers were females (54.2%) with the average age of 40.5±10.87 years old. Most of the farmers graduated from secondary school (37.3%). They (40.1%) worked 8 hours per day. Most of the time, they worked as a farmer in the same farm since they started their career for 21-30 years (34.4%). There were 42.5% of them did not know about soil- transmitted helminthes infection. Most of them never wore shoes (86.3%) and 59.9% of them did not use gloves while working in the field. The study found that 16% of them were infected with hookworm.            Factors related to hookworm infection were age (p=0.021), education status (p<0.001), income (p=0.001), work hour per day (p=0.001), the duration of work as farmer in this farm (p=0.012), knowledge about hookworm infection (p<0.001), and main water supply source (p<0.001). Therefore the local government should provide health education and support means to access on health information of soil- transmitted helminthes infection and prevention. The local government and local health care system should be more support to the farmers to improve the quality of drinking water, and personal hygiene. Besides, they should educate and support farmers to make toilets for the one who has none.