Evidence of reduced academic performance among schoolchildren with helminth infection

• Published in: International health Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 309 - 317
• Main Authors: Donkoh, Emmanuel T, Berkoh, Dorice, Fosu-Gyasi, Samuel, Boadu, Wina I Ofori, Raji, Abdul S, Asamoah, Samuel, Otabil, Kenneth B, Otoo, John E, Yeboah, Michael T, Aganbire, Benedicta A, Adobasom-Anane, Austin G, Adams, Simon K, Debrah, Oksana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 02.05.2023
• Subjects: Animals; Child; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Helminthiasis - complications; Helminthiasis - epidemiology; Helminths; Humans; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - complications; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - epidemiology; Original; COVID-19; malnutrition; sub-Saharan Africa; academic performance; soil-transmitted helminths; school deworming
• ISSN: 1876-3413; 1876-3405
• DOI: 10.1093/inthealth/ihac044

Abstract Background Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) pose a formidable health risk to school-age children in resource-limited settings. Unfortunately, mass deworming campaigns have been derailed since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The present study assessed the cross-sectional associations between STHs, nutritional status and academic performance of schoolchildren in the Banda District of Ghana. Methods Schoolchildren (5–16 y of age; n=275) were recruited through both school and household visits by community health workers using a multistage cluster sampling technique. In addition to school microscopy, anthropometric records were also taken. Results The prevalence of geohelminthiasis was 40.4% (95% confidence interval 34.6 to 46.2). STHs targeted for elimination by the World Health Organization and national programmes were detected among schoolchildren. Children with intestinal parasite infection (53.7 [standard deviation {SD} 11.5]) had lower mean academic scores compared with uninfected children (59.6 [SD 16.9]) (p=0.034). In multiple regression analysis, intestinal parasite infection status and z-scores for weight-for-age showed a collective significant effect on the academic score (F1117=8.169, p<0.001, R2=0.125). Conclusions Schoolchildren with STHs had poorer academic performance compared with uninfected children, despite their nutritional status. In addition to school feeding programmes, school-based mass drug administration campaigns may be critical for improving learning outcomes in young schoolchildren.