The Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection and Its Associated Risk Factors Among Patients Undergoing Upper Gastrointestinal Diagnosis in Shashemene Referral Hospital in Shashemene, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background:- Helicobacter pylori infection is the principal cause of chronic active gastritis in developing countries including Ethiopia. Objective:- The main objective of the present study is to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori infection colonization and its associated risk factors among upper gastrointestinal patients aged ≥14 years. Method:- Hospital-based retrospective and cross-sectional study was conducted at Shashemene referral Hospital among upper gastrointestinal positive patients who underwent diagnosis in the Hospital from September 2012-August 2017. Results:- After organizing the recorded data of the 1966 upper gastrointestinal patients, the overall prevalence of five consecutive years (September 2012-August 2017)  H. pylori infection in this study was found to be 30.3% (n= 592/1966). The majority of the patients were in the age range of 20-29 (218/657(33.03%)) and ≥60 (46/149(30.9%)). The overall prevalence of H. pylori in this study dropped from 45.5% in September 2012 -August 2013 to 15.2% in September 2016 - August 2017. The most important risk factors in this study were large family size, age, poor personal hygiene, poor hygiene in nutrition and life style, poor economic status, stress, alcohol, overcrowding and educational level. Marital status of the patients (2.793 OR; 95%CI: p=0.038 < 0.05) and age groups (1.345 OR; 95%CI: p=0.006< 0.05) were statistically significant predictors or were significantly associated with H. pylori infection. In this study the prevalence of H. pylori infection is highest in the youngest group, because of the exacerbation of the youngest to multi substance use, and environmental hygienic condition. Conclusion and recommendation:-This study has shown that gastritis and H. pylori infection were the major problems in the study area and, therefore, further in-depth epidemiological 0research and identification of other potential environmental and personal related risk factors of H. pylori infection and gastritis are suggested.

Keywords: Helicobacter Pylori; gastritis; prevalence; risk factor; Ethiopia; retrospective study; cross–sectional study

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/73-01

Publication date: April 30^th 2020