Behavior Factors and Cases of Helminthiasis in Elementary School Students

Helminthiasis infection is the most common infection worldwide. More than 1.5 billion people or 24% of the world's population are infected with helminthiasis where preschool age and school-age children are vulnerable to infection of helminthiasis. Intestinal worms are the main species that most infect humans. The prevalence in Sleman DIY is 21.78%. This study is a descriptive analytic with a cross-sectional design. The samples were elementary school students in grades 1-6 in the working area of Moyudan Public Health Center amounting to 311 students. The sampling technique used was multiple random sampling. The measurement of risk factors was done using a questionnaire and an interview. The data were analyzed using Fisher's test and to see the magnitude of risk by looking at the prevalence ratio (RP). It was found that 8 students were positively exposed to helminthiasis. Fisher's Exact Test analysis showed that the p-value for the relationship of handwashing variables before meals (0.484), hand washing after defecation (0.224), bowel habits (0.232), nail cutting habits (0.145), fingernail biting habits hands (1,000), use of footwear (0.273), and use of clean water (0.099). The value of p> 0.05 indicates that there was no significant relationship between the variables studied and the incidence of helminthiasis in elementary school students in the work area of Moyudan Health Center. There is no relationship between handwashing before eating, hand washing after defecation, bowel habits, nail cutting habits, fingernail biting habits, footwear use, and clean water use with helminthiasis in elementary school students in the work area of Moyudan Health Center. Keywords—risk factors, behavior, helminthiasis, elementary school students