Side Effects following School Deworming among School‐Age Children in Oti Region, Ghana

Abstract

Background. Preventive chemotherapy with anthelminthic drugs is meant to control soil‐transmitted helminthiases, but some children may experience adverse reactions. Objective. This study investigated why some school‐age children did not receive the medication as well as the side effects experienced by those who did during the 2019 preventive chemotherapy in Krachi East Municipal, Oti Region, Ghana. Methods. Using a two‐stage stratified sampling, a community‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted among 352 school‐age children and their caregivers living in three urban and five rural communities. Results. Most children (93.8%) were in primary school, aged 11 to 12 years (28.1%), male (53.1%), and resided in an urban area (83.8%). Due to concerns about side effects (28.1%), absenteeism (25.0%), and sickness (9.4%), 32 (9.09%) children did not receive the anthelminthic medication. Of the 320 children who received and ingested the anthelmintic drug, 50.3% experienced at least one side effect. Common side effects included dizziness (58.4%), feeling weak (27.3%), and stomach issues such as vomiting (17.4%), abdominal pain (11.8%), and nausea (6.2%). In adjusted analyses, children aged 11‐12 years had higher odds of side effects (aOR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.22–4.76) than children aged 7‐8 years. Male children were also less likely than female children to experience adverse effects (aOR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27–0.68). Discussion. Ghana’s national goal of 100% therapeutic coverage was unmet. Medication consumption during prophylactic chemotherapy may be hampered due to the high prevalence of side effects among school‐age children. It is necessary to educate caregivers on how to handle these negative effects.