Research Article

Asymptomatic Malaria and Associated Risk Factors among School Children in Sanja Town, Northwest Ethiopia

Table 4

Multivariate analysis of factors potentially associated with asymptomatic malaria infection among school children.

Risk factorsMalariaTotalOR (95%CI) value
PositiveNegativeCORAOR

Sex
 Male13 (9.8)*119 (90.2)132 (34.3)2.02 (0.85, 4.80)0.966 (0.344, 2.713)0.125
 Female13 (5.1)240 (94.9)253 (65.7)1.001.00
Age (years)
 6–1011 (15.1)62 (84.9)73 (19)3.51 (1.43, 8.59)1.255 (1.049, 1.331)0.015
 11–1515 (4.8)297 (95.2)312 (81)1.001.00
Resident
 Urban19 (6.6)269 (93.4)288 (74.8)1.001.000.840
 Rural7 (7.2)90 (92.8)97 (25.2)1.10 (0.41, 2.89)1.278 (0.428, 3.830)
Grade
 One–four17 (13.8)111 (86.2)128 (33.2)4.22 (1.71, 10.60)1.285 (1.007, 1.053)0.040
 Five–eight9 (3.5)248 (96.5)257 (66.8)1.001.00
Mothers/guardian educational status
 Illiterate5 (3.5)139 (96.5)144 (37.4)0.02 (0.08, 1.04)3.767 (0.933, 15.206)1.107
 Reading and writing/1 year13 (7.7)159 (92.3)172 (44.6)0.66 (0.24, 1.85)1.452 (0.460, 4.581)
 2 years at school and above8 (11)65 (89)73 (19.0)1.001.00
Family size
410 (9)101 (91)111 (28.8)1.001.000.562
 5–712 (5.6)203 (94.4)215 (55.8)0.60 (0.60, 1.55)2.304 (0.776, 6.843)
84 (6.8)55 (93.2)59 (15.4)0.73 (0.18, 2.71)3.138 (0.630, 15.588)
Years of stay
 <5 years3 (4.5)66 (95.5)69 (17.9)1.001.000.218
 5–10 years10 (10.4)84 (89.6)94 (24.4)2.54 (0.61, 12.18)1.018 (0.178, 5.832)
 >10 years13 (5.9)209 (94.1)222 (57.7)1.33 (0.34, 6.06)1.144 (0.240, 5.177)
Swampy area
 Present2 (3.7)52 (96.3)54 (14.0)0.49 (0.08, 2.24)1.189 (0.212, 6.004)0.339
 Absent24 (7.3)307 (92.7)331 (86.0)1.00
Bed net usage
 Always2 (1.7)115 (98.3)117 (30.4)1.001.000.011
 Sometimes/not at all24 (9)244 (91.0)268 (69.6)5.66 (1.27, 35.23)2.111 (1.200, 3.604)
Ever sick by malaria before
 Yes23 (8.0)264 (92.0)284 (73.7)2.97 (0.76, 11.82)0.156 (0.002, 1.574)0.150
 No3 (3.1)95 (96.9)101 (26.3)1001.00
Frequency of illness
 <5 malaria episodes15 (4.5)321 (95.5)336 (87.3)1.001.000.001
 >5 malaria episodes9 (14.9)40 (85.1)49 (12.7)4.82 (1.81, 12.67)3.185 (1.063, 7.064)
Treated for symptomatic malaria cases
 Yes23 (7.8)243 (92.2)266 (69.1)1.001.000.076
 No3 (3.3)107 (96.7)110 (30.9)3.38 (0.94, 14.44)5.132 (0.596, 44.165)
Total26 (6.8)359 (93.2)385 (100)

Figures in parentheses indicate percentages.
Only for previous malaria episode.