Abstract
Background: Giardiasis is one of the major health problems in our country due to the use of contaminated water for drinking and the lack of awareness practices, such as washing fruits before eating and hand washing after latrine usage. Although few studies have been conducted in different parts of Ethiopia, a varied prevalence and associated factors are reported. Therefore, the current study is updated with information.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of G. lamblia infection and associated risk factors among patients who seek stool examination at Bule Hora University Teaching Hospital, West Guji Zone, Ethiopia, in 2023.
Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study of 137 patients seeking stool examinations was conducted from February 15 to March 15, 2023. A systematic random sampling method was used to select study participants. The stool samples were examined using the wet mount technique. Descriptive and inferential analyzes were performed. The chi-square test was performed. A p value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The results of this study revealed that the prevalence of G. lamblia infection was 18.7% [95% CI 12.1-25.3]. This study revealed that factors such as residency (χ2 = 2.82, P = 0.027), maintaining food hygiene (χ2 = 6.6, P = 0.03), hand washing before a meal (χ2 = 4.25, P = 0.003), source of water for drinking (χ2 = 12.6, P = 0.0001), and patient finger nails (χ2 = 3.47, P = 0.026) were significantly associated with G. lamblia among patients.
Conclusions and recommendations: Giardia lamblia was seen among one-fifth of the patients who sought a stool examination. Health facility managers and health care providers work hard to improve patient quality of stool microscopic examination and health education about ways of transmission of giardiasis to decrease the prevalence of G. lamblia.