Household Deprivation Score as a Scalable Screening Tool for Intestinal Parasitic Infections Among Schoolchildren in a Conflict-Affected Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study from Yemen

This project contains the complete dataset, statistical analysis scripts, supplementary materials, and study instruments for a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in Al-Dhalea Governorate, Yemen (April–October 2025). The study enrolled 1,200 schoolchildren aged 5–15 years across nine districts to investigate intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) and to validate a novel Household Deprivation Score (HDS) as a low-cost, scalable screening tool for identifying high-risk children in humanitarian settings. Key Findings: - Overall IPI prevalence: 46.2% (95% CI: 43.4–49.0%) - The Entamoeba histolytica/dispar complex was most frequently detected (38.6%), but sensitivity analyses suggest 70–80% may be non-pathogenic E. dispar - The HDS showed a strong graded statistical association with IPI positivity (p for trend < 0.001) - Children with HDS = 3 had nearly threefold higher odds of infection (AOR = 2.89; 95% CI: 2.01–4.15) compared to those with no deprivation - Independent modifiable correlates: animals in the home (AOR = 1.89), irregular nail trimming (AOR = 1.82), anemia (AOR = 2.35), and infrequent handwashing (protective AOR = 0.63) Study Design: - Population-based cross-sectional study - Multi-stage cluster sampling across nine districts - Stool examination: direct wet mount and formalin-ether concentration - Blood analysis: complete blood count for anemia assessment - Statistical analysis: multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression (R version 4.3.2) - Sample size: 1,200 schoolchildren (100% response rate) Files Included in this Repository: - File S1 – STROBE Checklist and Conceptual Model (Figure S1) - File S2 – Full R Statistical Analysis Script - File S3 – Supplementary Tables S1–S19 and Supplementary Figures S3–S5 - File S4 – Ethical Approval Letter (Arabic and English) - File S5 – Informed Consent Forms (Arabic and English) - File S6 – Study Questionnaire - File S7 – De-identified Dataset (CSV) - File S8 – Extended Sensitivity Analyses (alternative HDS definitions and Entamoeba adjustment) - File S9 – Exploratory DALY and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (model-dependent) - File S10 – HDS Screening Tool (Field Use)