03116nas a2200337   4500000000100000008004100001260003700042653003600079653001700115653003000132653003500162653003100197653001200228100001300240700001300253700001400266700001700280700001200297700001200309700001200321700001300333700001900346700001200365700001500377245014800392856010900540300000900649490000600658520210000664022001402764       2024                            d  bPublic Library of Science (PLoS)10aWomen of reproductive age (WRA)10aCo-infection10aMaternal and child health10aSoil transmitted helminthiasis10aSchistosomiasis haematobia10aMalaria1 aMasaku J1 aMutuku F1 aKihara JH1 aMwandawiro C1 aOkoyo C1 aKanyi H1 aKamau J1 aKaduka L1 aNg’ang’a Z1 aJeza VT1 aRobinson J00aHelminthiasis and malaria co-infection among women of reproductive age in a rural setting of Kilifi County, coastal Kenya: A mixed method study  uhttps://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0003310&type=printable  a1-290 v43 a<p>Soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH), Schistosoma haematobium and malaria co-infection lead to increased susceptibility to other infections and poor pregnancy outcomes among women of reproductive age (WRA). This study sought to establish risk factors, burden of co-infection with STH, S. haematobium and Plasmodium sp. among WRA in Kilifi County, Kenya.A mixed method cross-sectional study was conducted on 474 WRA in 2021. Simple random sampling was used to select WRA from four villages in two purposively sampled sub-counties. Study participants were interviewed, and stool samples collected and analysed using Kato-Katz technique for STH. Urine samples were collected for examination of S. haematobium while malaria microscopic test was done using finger prick blood samples. Further, 15 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with purposively selected WRA and qualitative data analyzed thematically using Nvivo software. Quantitative and qualitative methods were triangulated to comprehensively strengthen the study findings. Prevalence of S. haematobium was 22.3% (95%CI: 13.5–36.9), any STH 5.2% (95%CI: 1.9–14.3) and malaria 8.3% (95%: 3.8–18.2). Co-infections between any STH and S. haematobium was 0.8% (95%CI: 0.2–3.2) and between S. haematobium and malaria 0.8% (95%CI: 0.2–3.1). Multivariable analysis showed increased odds of any STH infections among participants in Rabai Sub-County, (aOR = 9.74; p = 0.026), businesswomen (aOR = 5.25; p&lt;0.001), housewives (aOR = 2.78; p = 0.003), and casual laborers (aOR = 27.03; p&lt;0.001). Qualitative analysis showed that the three parasitic diseases were common and responsible for possible causes of low birth weight, susceptibility to other infections and complications such as infertility and cancer later in life.The study demonstrated that STH, S. haematobium and malaria are still a public health problem to WRA. Some of the associated risks of infection were geographical location, socio-economic and WASH factors. Hence the need to implement integrated control efforts of the three parasitic infection.</p>
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