Education Intervention to Reduce Helminth Infections and Absenteeism in Grade 5 School-children

Effectiveness of a Post-deworming Education Intervention to Reduce Soil-transmitted Helminth Infections and Absenteeism in Grade 5 School-children in a Community of Extreme Poverty, Peruvian Amazon

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT01085799

Enrollment

1101

Registered

2010-03-12

Start date

2010-04-30

Completion date

2010-10-31

Last updated

2011-03-16

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Infections

Keywords

Educational activities, Cluster-randomized controlled trial, Albendazole, Deworming, School-age children, Peru, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Hookworm, STH infections, Intestinal helminth infections

Brief summary

To efficiently control soil-transmitted helminths (Ascaris, Trichuris, and hookworm), WHO, PAHO, and others recommend the inclusion of an education strategy in school-based deworming programs. However, the effectiveness of such a strategy on the rate of STH re-infection and on education indicators, such as absenteeism, remains to be fully understood. The proposed research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a post-deworming education intervention targeted to Grade 5 school children enrolled in Belén's schools using a cluster-randomized trial design. Results will be used to inform school-based deworming programs in Peru and other similar endemic areas in Latin America and, indeed, around the world.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALHealth Education Intervention

This is a health hygiene education strategy which encourages the pro-active role of both teachers and students and changes in attitudes and practices with the aim of keeping the level of parasite infection low, through increased knowledge.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Girls and boys enrolled in Grade 5 in eligible schools located in the Belén district of Iquitos, Peru. Eligible schools have a minimum of 10 boys and 10 girls enrolled in grade 5. * Informed written consent obtained from the parents or legal guardian of the child. * Verbal assent from child.

Exclusion criteria

* Parents (or guardians) refusing participation of their child. * Child who refuses to participate.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Soil-transmitted helminth re-infection (Ascaris, Trichuris, or Hookworm).	4 months post-deworming

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Absenteeism rate.	During the first 4 months following deworming
Eggs per grams reduction rate.	4 months post-deworming
Weight gain (kg)	4 months post-deworming
Height gain (cm)	4 months post-deworming

Countries

Peru

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026