Analysis on factors influencing the infection status of human intestinal parasites among the ethnic minorities living in the rural areas in Guangxi Province by multi-level and multi-factor model

Objective To investigate the factors influencing the infection status of human intestinal parasites among the ethnic minorities living in the rural areas in Guangxi Province. Methods A cross-sectional household survey was conducted by a self-designed questionnaire, pecies of instestinal parasites were detemined using Kato's thick smear method, multi-level and multi-factor model analysis was used to investigate the effect of demographic characteristics, eating habits, life habits, family level factors and village level factors on infection status of human intestinal parasites. Results It was showed that the factors influencing human intestinal parasites infection among the ethnic minorities living in the rural areas in Guangxi province included sex, years of education, personal eating habits, personal hygiene habits, annual per capital income,status of human and animal cohousing, status of having the family toilets and status of having family hygienic cabinet for food, etc. (all P<0.05). After controlling for individual and family characteristics by multilevel model, the community contextual variables in the natural village level such as the status of the village with the pipeline water supply public toilets, and village environmental hygiene condition were also associated independently with the intestinal parasitic infection (all P<0.05). Conclusions The residents with higher level of education, healthy personal eating habits and life habits have the lower rate of intestinal parasitic infection. The households having the higher economic incomes, personal toilets and family hygienic cabinet for food also have the lower risk of the infection of intestinal parasites. Social and economic environmental variables in the village level such as the status of the pipeline water supply, public restrooms and improved community hygiene environment have independently impacted on the infection of intestinal parasitic.