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Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections cause devastating effect in human health. School-age children (SAC) account for the highest prevalence of STH infections in sub-Sahara. Open defecation practicing might be the major contributing factor, and creating an open defecation-free (ODF) declared community is also a big challenge. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of STH infections and associated factors among SAC in ODF declared and open defecation-practicing kebeles. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 806 SAC from January 2019 to April 2019. Questionnaire-based data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Stool samples were collected and processed via the Kato-Katz technique. Prevalence and associated factors were computed with descriptive statistics and regression, respectively. Variables with a P-value P P < 0.01) with STH infections in open defection-practicing kebeles. In conclusion, lower prevalence of STH infections was recorded in ODF declared than in open defection-practicing kebeles. Wearing shoes sometimes, playing with soil, and not using latrine were associated with STH infections. Therefore, creating an ODF environment and community awareness should be strengthened.
Muluneh et al. (Tue,) studied this question.