Status of Helicobacter pylori Infection among Migrant Workers in Shijiazhuang, China

Abstract

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection leads to many upper gastrointestinal diseases. Migrant workers are the main part of floating population in China. However, up to now, their health status has not been a focus of attention. Methods: In order to assess the status of H. pylori infection among migrant workers in Shijiazhuang, over five years we interviewed 324 individuals between 2007 and 2011. Each underwent a rapid urease test to identify H. pylori infection and socio-demographic indicators were collected using a survey questionnaire. Results: Our results showed that family income (P = 0.003), dietetic hygiene (P = 0.005), education (P = 0.004) and marital status (P = 0.007) were associated with H. pylori infection. Conclusion: We found that migrant workers had little basic knowledge of H. pylori and their prevalence of infection remains high. Therefore, we need to promote education and awareness of H. pylori and to ensure access to diagnosis and treatment for infected workers.

Population Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Helicobacter pylori Transmission and Outcomes: A Literature Review

“…Oh et al (13) found that most people viewed their own risk for developing gastric cancer as average or low. Xia et al (12) found that 86% of people did not think they were infected with H. pylori despite that within this population, H. pylori prevalence was 41%.…”

“…Of the nine studies included in this review, two were conducted in eastern China (11, 12), two in South Korea (13, 14), two in North America (15, 16), and one each in Ethiopia (17), India (18), and Malaysia (19). All studies focused on populations at increased risk for gastric cancer, except the US population-based survey to assess and promote awareness (15).…”

“…General knowledge about H. pylori was poor across all studies. Of the two studies that asked whether participants had heard of H. pylori , only 22–35% of respondents answered “yes” (11, 12). Interestingly, one study found that those who tested negative for H. pylori had heard of H. pylori more often than those who tested positive (12).…”

“…When asked whether oral transmission was usual among family members, 31.1% of participants responded “yes,” 12.6% responded “no,” and 49.5% responded “do not know” (14). When asked about transmission, people who tested positive for H. pylori showed less understanding than those who tested negative (12). One study, asking about transmission found only 23.8% of respondents correctly answered that H. pylori can be transmitted by unsafe food preparation and water sources (11).…”

“…Three studies asked questions regarding attitudes related to H. pylori /gastric cancer (12–14). All three of these studies assessed perception of self-risk for either contracting H. pylori or developing gastric cancer.…”