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Relación entre la distancia a una fuente de agua, la altitud y el tener un tracoma activo, en el distrito de Rombo, Tanzania
Author(s) -
Baggaley R. F.,
Solomon A. W.,
Kuper H.,
Polack S.,
Massae P. A.,
Kelly J.,
Safari S.,
Alexander N. D. E.,
Courtright P.,
Foster A.,
Mabey D. C.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2005.01553.x
Subject(s) - trachoma , tanzania , quartile , medicine , altitude (triangle) , demography , odds ratio , geography , environmental health , confidence interval , geometry , mathematics , environmental planning , pathology , sociology
Summary Objectives To investigate the relationship between distance to water source, altitude and active trachoma in children in Rombo district, Tanzania. Methods In each of Rombo's 64 villages, 10 balozis (groups of 8–40 households) were selected at random and all resident children aged 1–9 years were examined for clinical signs of active trachoma. The households of these children and village water sources were mapped using differentially corrected global positioning system data to determine each household's altitude and distance to the nearest water supply. Results We examined 12 415 children and diagnosed 1171 cases of active trachoma (weighted prevalence = 9.1%, 95% CI: 8.0, 10.2%). Active trachoma prevalence ranged from 0% to 33.7% across villages. Increasing distance to the nearest water source was significantly associated with rising trachoma prevalence (age‐adjusted odds ratio for infection (OR) for highest quartile compared to lowest = 3.56, 95% CI 2.47, 5.14, P for trend <0.0001). Altitude was significantly inversely associated with trachoma prevalence (age‐adjusted OR for highest quartile compared to lowest = 0.55, 95% CI 0.41, 0.75, P for trend <0.0001). These associations remained significant after adjustment in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Trachoma is endemic in Rombo district, although the prevalence varies considerably between villages. Spatial mapping is a useful method for analysing risk factors for active trachoma.