Volume : 5, Issue : 4, April - 2016

Prevalence of active trachoma and its associated factors among children aged 1-9 years in Dessie city administration, Amhara Region, Ethiopia 2015

Kubra Gobeze Ahmed, Prof Dr . P. Surender Reddy, Shambel Wodajo, Yeshimebet Ali

Abstract :

<p>&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;nbsp;Background: Trachoma is leading preventable infectious eye disease in developing countries that have poor personal and environmental hygiene; inadequate water supply and poor socioeconomic status Objective: To assess the prevalence of active trachoma and its associated factors among children aged 1-9 years old in Dessie city administration, Amhara regional state, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: Community based cross sectional study with the sample of 396 households Results: The prevalence of active trachoma among children 1-9 years old in the study area was found to be 26.8%. It varied from 25.5% in urban area to 32.9% in rural area. Conclusions and recommendations: The prevalence of active trachoma in this study was high, compared to WHO recommendation. It is recommended to educate and convince the people to maintain personal and environmental hygiene, face washing habit in children, using soap for face washing, increase latrine utilization coverage and Azithromax use as single annual dose&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;</p>