OCCURRENCE, ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AND NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL HOME MANAGEMENT OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI GASTRITIS AMONG PATIENT ATTENDING THE EHFA FOUNDATION FOUMBOT

Helicobacter pylori gastritis (H. pylori) gastritis is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the stomach lining causing inflammation and damages to the gastric mucosa. Globally, Helicobacter pylori gastritis is a significant global health concern, affecting approximately 4.4 billion people worldwide. The occurrence of H. pylori infection varies widely across different regions and countries, with the highest rate found in developing counties. The objective of this study was to assess the occurrence, associated risk factors and none pharmacological home management of H. pylori gastritis in patients attending EHFA Foundation Foumbot. In this study, an institutional based cross sectional study design was used in which freely consented participants were sampled through convenience sampling. The data collection tool was a well-structured questionnaire divided into 4 sections according to the specific objectives of the study. Statistical tests such as the Chi square test and binary regression analyses were used to analyse for inferential statistics using SPSS version 21. Statistical significance was considered if p value was less than or equal to 0.05. This study involving 105 participants found a 40.0% overall occurrence of Helicobacter pylori infection, with all 42 clinically suspected cases testing positive. Socio-demographic characteristics such as age (p = 0.83), gender (p = 0.42), education level (p = 0.21), and place of residence showed no significant association with infection. However, significant risk factors included a history of previous infection (p = 0.004), frequent NSAID use (p = 0.03), and self-reported stress (p = 0.001). Binary logistic regression confirmed history of H. pylori (p = 0.002, OR = 0.203) and stress (p = 0.002, OR = 0.185) as strong predictors. Non-pharmacological management mostly involved reducing NSAIDs (64.8%), alcohol (58.1%), and caffeine (53.3%). Water intake showed a statistically significant inverse association with H. pylori infection (χ² = 10.07, p = 0.018), as infection prevalence decreased from 23.8% among those drinking 1–2L/day to just 3.8% among those consuming 5–6L/day. It is recommended that individuals reduce stress, limit NSAID use, and increase daily water intake to lower the risk of Helicobacter pylori infection.