Assessing Physical Fitness in Schoolchildren with Infections in Côte d'Ivoire
Author Information
Author(s): Thomas Fürst, Ivan Müller, Jean T. Coulibaly, Adrien K. Yao, Jürg Utzinger, Eliézer K. N'Goran
Primary Institution: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute
Hypothesis
What is the impact of helminth and Plasmodium spp. infections on schoolchildren's physical fitness?
Conclusion
The study found that the quality of life questionnaire was valid for assessing children's physical fitness, but no significant differences in self-reported physical fitness were found between children with different parasitic infections.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium was 84.4% among the children.
- Statistically significant correlations were found between objectively measured and self-reported physical fitness.
- The questionnaire was particularly useful for assessing children unable to complete the shuttle run test.
Takeaway
The study looked at how infections affect kids' fitness. It found that kids with infections didn't report being less fit than those without, but the questionnaire used was good for measuring fitness.
Methodology
A questionnaire on physical fitness was administered to 200 schoolchildren, and their infections were determined through parasitological methods, followed by a shuttle run test to measure physical fitness.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of children with medical concerns who may have had lower fitness levels.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and excluded children with severe medical conditions, which may have affected the results.
Participant Demographics
The study included 167 schoolchildren aged 7-15 years, with 97 boys and 70 girls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 48.9-53.6
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website