Individual Correlates of Podoconiosis in Areas of Varying Endemicity: A Case-Control Study
| العنوان: | Individual Correlates of Podoconiosis in Areas of Varying Endemicity: A Case-Control Study |
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| المؤلفون: | Peter J. Baxter, Jennifer S. Le Blond, Yordanos B. Molla, Melanie J. Newport, Gail Davey, Nicola A. Wardrop, Peter M. Atkinson |
| المصدر: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 7, Iss 12, p e2554 (2013) |
| بيانات النشر: | Public Library of Science, 2013. |
| سنة النشر: | 2013 |
| مصطلحات موضوعية: | Gerontology, Adult, Male, lcsh:Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, Adolescent, Endemic Diseases, lcsh:RC955-962, 030231 tropical medicine, Psychological intervention, Elephantiasis, 03 medical and health sciences, Young Adult, 0302 clinical medicine, Risk-Taking, RC0251, Risk Factors, Medicine, Humans, 030212 general & internal medicine, Podoconiosis, Young adult, Child, Lower income, Lymphatic filariasis, Aged, 2. Zero hunger, Aged, 80 and over, business.industry, lcsh:Public aspects of medicine, 1. No poverty, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Case-control study, lcsh:RA1-1270, Middle Aged, medicine.disease, 3. Good health, Shoes, Infectious Diseases, Case-Control Studies, Female, Ethiopia, Age of onset, business, Demography, Research Article |
| الوصف: | Background Podoconiosis is a non-filarial form of elephantiasis resulting in lymphedema of the lower legs. Previous studies have suggested that podoconiosis arises from the interplay of individual and environmental factors. Here, our aim was to understand the individual-level correlates of podoconiosis by comparing 460 podoconiosis-affected individuals and 707 unaffected controls. Methods/principal findings This was a case-control study carried out in six kebeles (the lowest governmental administrative unit) in northern Ethiopia. Each kebele was classified into one of three endemicity levels: ‘low’ (prevalence 5%). A total of 142 (30.7%) households had two or more cases of podoconiosis. Compared to controls, the majority of the cases, especially women, were less educated (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.3 to 2.2), were unmarried (OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 2.6–4.6) and had lower income (t = −4.4, p Author Summary Podoconiosis is a neglected tropical disease that results in swelling of the lower legs and feet. It is common among barefoot individuals within defined areas due to the geochemical characteristics of the soil in these areas. Presence of podoconiosis and its huge burden among the affected people in north Ethiopia has previously been documented. Moreover, difference in the occurrence of the disease by area and among individuals had been observed. In the present study, we investigated individual factors for the occurrence of podoconiosis, by comparing individuals with podoconiosis and without podoconiosis that live in three areas with varying disease prevalence. We found that individuals with the disease, particularly women, were less educated, with lower income and less likely to be married, compared to healthy individuals. Moreover, more than one individual was found in most of the affected households. Podoconiosis-affected individuals started wearing shoes at later ages than healthy individuals, and their feet were observed to be more cracked and dirty. There is a recent increase in shoe-wearing among all study subjects. We concluded that intervention efforts should focus to address late age shoe-wearing and inequalities in education, income and marriage, between podoconiosis affected individuals, and particularly among female patients. In addition, the presence of more than one patient per household helps for targeted case identification for intervention. |
| وصف الملف: | application/pdf; text |
| اللغة: | English |
| تدمد: | 1935-2735 1935-2727 |
| الوصول الحر: | https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_dedup___::c9393ff21caf99c31baa760e9e1f70d0Test http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3854961Test |
| حقوق: | OPEN |
| رقم الانضمام: | edsair.doi.dedup.....c9393ff21caf99c31baa760e9e1f70d0 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | OpenAIRE |
| تدمد: | 19352735 19352727 |
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