Browsing by Author "Sahlu, Teferra"

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    Prevalence and Risk Factors for Trachoma in a Rural Southern Ethiopian Population
    (Addis Ababa University, 1989-05) Sahlu, Teferra; P . Larson, Charles(PhD)
    The prevalence and risk facto.s associated with the occurrence of trachoma in the rural population of Sidama district of the Southern Ethiopia was studied . From 18/11/88 to 7/12/88 , 1, 222 randomly selected subjects were enrolled. Each subject received eye examination and completed an interv iew. Subjects with active trachoma (cases) and those with no eye d isease (controls) were compared for rates of exposure to economic, educational, behavioral and environmental characteristics. The prevalence of active trachoma was found to be 16. 5% in the general population, 19 . 7% in children under the age of 10 years and 22% in those over 45 year olds . A significant ly higher prevalence of active trachoma was found in females among those 10 to 44 years of age . Ri sk factors included low for active lncome, low trachoma i dentified education, poor sanitation, and infreque nt fa c e wash ing and bathing. i~ th i s study envi r onmental This s tudy represents the first community based epidemiologica l survey of trachoma in Southern Ethiopia. The results conf i rm the high prevalence of trachoma and the association of trachoma wi th poor personal and e nvironmenta l hygiene. From the knowledge gained in this study more effective cont rol strategies in rural di stricts are recommended.