The Incidence, Intensity, and Risk Factors for Soil Transmissible Helminthes Infections among Waste Handlers in a Large Coastal Periurban Settlement in Southern Ghana
Table 1
Sociodemographic characteristics and type of personal protective equipment (PPE) by waste handlers performing different activities.
Sociodemographic characteristics/Type of PPE
Waste handling activitiesa, n (%)
Total (n = 280)
Sweeping (n = 51)
Disposal (n = 18)
Collection (n = 12)
Transport (n = 5)
Sweeping and disposal (n = 6)
Sweeping and collection (n = 69)
Collection and disposal (n = 36)
Sweeping, collection, and disposal (n = 83)
Sex
Male
3 (4.4)
12 (17.4)
8 (11.6)
5 (7.3)
2 (2.9)
3 (4.4)
29 (42.0)
7 (10.1)
69 (24.6)
Female
48 (22.8)
6 (2.8)
4 (1.9)
0 (0.0)
4 (1.9)
66 (31.3)
7 (3.3)
76 (36.0)
211 (75.4)
Age in years
<35
15 (16.7)
6 (6.7)
4 (4.4)
1 (1.1)
0 (0.0)
26 (28.9)
10 (11.1)
28 (31.1)
90 (32.1)
35 and above
36 (19.0)
12 (6.3)
8 (4.2)
4 (2.1)
6 (3.2)
43 (22.6)
26 (13.4)
55 (29.0)
190 (67.9)
Highest education level
None
25 (21.7)
7 (6.1)
3 (2.6)
1 (0.9)
3 (2.6)
26 (22.6)
14 (12.2)
36 (31.3)
115 (46.0)
Primary
11 (14.1)
4 (5.1)
4 (5.1)
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)
28 (35.9)
10 (12.8)
21 (26.9)
78 (27.9)
JHS
7 (23.3)
3 (10.0)
1 (3.3)
0 (0.0)
1 (3.3)
5 (16.7)
4 (13.3)
9 (30.0)
30 (10.7)
MSLC
6 (13.6)
3 (6.8)
3 (6.8)
3 (6.8)
2 (4.6)
8 (18.2)
5 (11.4)
14 (31.8)
44 (15.7)
Secondary
2 (15.4)
1 (8.0)
1 (7.7)
1 (7.7)
0 (0.0)
2 (15.4)
3 (23.1)
3 (23.1)
13 (4.6)
No. of years worked
<1 year
16 (9.9)
7 (4.3)
9 (5.6)
1 (0.6)
2 (1.2)
54 (33.3)
22 (13.6)
51 (31.5)
162 (57.9)
1-2 years
17 (53.1)
3 (9.4)
0 (0.0)
1 (3.1)
0 (0.0)
2 (6.3)
1 (3.1)
8 (25.0)
32 (11.4)
3-4 years
17 (22.1)
7 (9.1)
3 (3.9)
2 (2.6)
4 (5.2)
11 (14.3)
12 (15.6)
21 (27.3)
77 (27.5)
5 or more years
1 (11.1)
1 (11.1)
0 (0.0)
1 (11.1)
0 (0.0)
2 (22.2)
1 (11.1)
3 (33.3)
9 (3.2)
Current monthly salary
Less than ¢80.0 (<USD 36)
14 (32.6)
7 (16.3)
0 (0.0)
1 (2.3)
3 (7.0)
5 (11.6)
2 (4.7)
11 (25.6)
43 (15.4)
¢80–¢150 (USD 36–45)
37 (15.6)
11 (4.6)
12 (5.1)
4 (1.7)
3 (1.3)
64 (27.0)
34 (14.4)
72 (30.4)
237 (84.6)
Type of personal protective equipment
Wellington boot
16 (9.3)
9 (5.2)
9 (5.2)
2 (1.2)
2 (1.2)
51 (29.5)
27 (15.6)
57 (33.0)
173 (61.8)
Gloves
25 (15.5)
9 (6.0)
11 (6.8)
0 (0.0)
2 (1.2)
39 (24.2)
24 (14.9)
51 (31.7)
161 (57.5)
Mouth/nose cover
15 (16.7)
5 (5.6)
3 (3.3)
3 (3.3)
0 (0.0)
23 (25.6)
15 (16.7)
26 (28.9)
90 (32.1)
Overall apron
19 (9.3)
10 (4.9)
12 (5.9)
3 (1.5)
2 (1.0)
62 (30.4)
30 (14.7)
66 (32.4)
204 (72.9)
an (%) represents frequency and row percentage. JHS, junior high school; MSLC, middle school leaving certificate.
