Prevalence of Intestinal Parasitic Infections and Hygiene Practices among School-Aged Children in the Kumasi Metropolitan District, Ghana

Abstract:Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) remain a significant public health concern,particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinalparasitic infections and examine the association between demographic factors, hygiene practices,and infection rates among school-aged children in the Kumasi Metropolitan District, Ghana. Across-sectional study was conducted involving 400 participants aged 4-15 years, with stoolsamples analyzed using microscopic techniques to detect parasites. A structured questionnairewas administered to collect data on participants' demographic characteristics and hygienepractices.Results: The study found a low overall prevalence of intestinal parasites, with only 2.7% ofparticipants testing positive. The majority of participants (66.2%) were female, and most lived inurban areas (75.1%). High levels of hygiene practices were reported, with 91.4% of participantswashing their hands after using the toilet, and 99% washing before eating. Furthermore, mostparticipants had access to improved sanitation facilities, including water closet toilets. Despitethis, over half (50.2%) of participants could not recall their last deworming treatment.Statistical analysis revealed no significant association between the prevalence of intestinalparasites and demographic or hygiene-related variables, suggesting uniform exposure risk acrossthe study population. The lack of significant findings may be attributed to the low infection rate,small sample size of infected individuals, and reliance on self-reported data. The study suggeststhat the low infection rate could be due to improved sanitation, access to safe drinking water, andeffective hygiene practices in the community.Conclusion: In conclusion, while the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections remains low inthis population, continued public health education, regular deworming, and improvements insanitation infrastructure are essential to sustain and further reduce infection rates. Future studiesshould focus on monitoring seasonal trends, exploring behavioral factors, and implementingmore sensitive diagnostic methods to ensure more accurate assessments of parasitic infections.