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Associations between selective attention and soil-transmitted helminth infections, socioeconomic status, and physical fitness in disadvantaged children in Port Elizabeth, South Africa: An observational study
- Source :
- PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 11, Iss 5, p e0005573 (2017)
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2017.
-
Abstract
- Background Socioeconomically deprived children are at increased risk of ill-health associated with sedentary behavior, malnutrition, and helminth infection. The resulting reduced physical fitness, growth retardation, and impaired cognitive abilities may impede children’s capacity to pay attention. The present study examines how socioeconomic status (SES), parasitic worm infections, stunting, food insecurity, and physical fitness are associated with selective attention and academic achievement in school-aged children. Methodology The study cohort included 835 children, aged 8–12 years, from eight primary schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The d2-test was utilized to assess selective attention. This is a paper and pencil letter-cancellation test consisting of randomly mixed letters d and p with one to four single and/or double quotation marks either over and/or under each letter. Children were invited to mark only the letters d that have double quotation marks. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed via the 20 m shuttle run test and muscle strength using the grip strength test. The Kato-Katz thick smear technique was employed to detect helminth eggs in stool samples. SES and food insecurity were determined with a pre-tested questionnaire, while end of year school results were used as an indicator of academic achievement. Principal findings Children infected with soil-transmitted helminths had lower selective attention, lower school grades (academic achievement scores), and lower grip strength (all p<br />Author summary Children growing up in challenging environments, such as townships in South Africa, are at an increased risk of ill-health associated with sedentary behavior, poor nutrition, growth retardation, and infections with parasitic worms. Negative factors such as limited educational resources, insufficient health care and safety are exacerbating the effects of poverty and, taken together, might cause developmental delays and school failure. A total of 835 school children aged 8–12 years were examined for soil-transmitted helminth infection, physical fitness, selective attention, stunting, household socioeconomic conditions, and food security. Furthermore, children’s academic achievement scores were utilized as a proxy for academic achievement. The multivariate analyses showed that low selective attention was associated with soil-transmitted helminth infection and low shuttle run performance, whereas higher academic achievement was observed in children without soil-transmitted helminth infection and with higher shuttle run performance. Our study suggests that soil-transmitted helminths and low physical fitness hinder children from realizing their full potential.
- Subjects :
- Male
Physical fitness
Helminthiasis
Social Sciences
Academic achievement
Pediatrics
Food Supply
South Africa
Families
0302 clinical medicine
Sociology
Risk Factors
Medicine and Health Sciences
Psychology
Medicine
Attention
Public and Occupational Health
030212 general & internal medicine
Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic
Child
Children
Cognitive Impairment
2. Zero hunger
Schools
Cognitive Neurology
lcsh:Public aspects of medicine
4. Education
1. No poverty
3. Good health
Infectious Diseases
Neurology
Helminth Infections
Cohort
Female
Pediatric Infections
Research Article
Neglected Tropical Diseases
Multi-stage fitness test
lcsh:Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
lcsh:RC955-962
Cognitive Neuroscience
030231 tropical medicine
Vulnerable Populations
Education
03 medical and health sciences
Helminths
Parasitic Diseases
Animals
Humans
Socioeconomic status
business.industry
Cognitive Psychology
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Biology and Life Sciences
lcsh:RA1-1270
Cardiorespiratory fitness
Physical Activity
Tropical Diseases
medicine.disease
Disadvantaged
Malnutrition
Social Class
Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases
Physical Fitness
Age Groups
People and Places
Cognitive Science
Population Groupings
business
Neuroscience
Demography
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19352735 and 68411960
- Volume :
- 11
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....80601a9d78d4fa5e1067a6428a1ea9af