The prevalence, intensities and risk factors associated with geohelminth infection in tea-growing communities of Assam, India

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence, intensity and associated risk factors for infection with Ascaris, hookworms and Trichuris in three tea-growing communities in Assam, India. METHODS Single faecal samples were collected from 328 individuals and subjected to centrifugal floatation and the Kato Katz quantitation technique and prevalence and intensities of infection with each parasite calculated. Associations between parasite prevalence, intensity and host and environmental factors were then made using both univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS The overall prevalence of Ascaris was 38% [95% confidence interval (CI): 33, 43], and the individual prevalence of hookworm and Trichuris was 43% (95% CI: 38, 49). The strongest predictors for the intensity of one or more geohelminths using multiple regression (P less than or equal to 0.10) were socioeconomic status, age, household crowding, level of education, religion, use of footwear when outdoors, defecation practices, pig ownership and water source. CONCLUSION A universal blanket treatment with broad-spectrum anthelmintics together with promotion of scholastic and health education and improvements in sanitation is recommended for helminth control in the communities under study.

Determinants of stages of smoking uptake among secondary school students

With the uptake of cigarette smoking hypothesised to occur through a series of contemplation and action stages, we sought to investigate what factors are associated with the contemplation of smoking among secondary school students in Queensland, Australia. A series of four cross-sectional surveys were conducted among secondary schools in Queensland in 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2002. Respondents (n = 9993) were asked about the stages of smoking. Nearly half (43%) of secondary school students reported some contemplation of smoking. Increased levels of smoking contemplation were observed among females, earlier survey years, Junior level students, students with average or below average scholastic ability, those prepared to go out with a smoker, those with recent alcohol experience, those who bad influenced other students to smoke or had not discouraged other students smoking. The results of this study provide further information about the factors relevant to stages of smoking uptake among secondary school students and the influence that students may have on their peers. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.