The effects of sex and age of responders on the reliability of self-diagnosed infection: a study of self-reported urinary schistosomiasis in Tanzanian school children

Self-reported schistosomiasis has been proven to be a reliable estimation o f the prevalence of infection in school children. For the first time, this paper presents an investigation into the use of self-reported schistosomias is to estimate the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis, due to Schistosom a haematobium, in school children with particular emphasis on whether the a ge and sex of respondents influences the reliability of diagnosis. It is sh own first, that the prevalence and intensity of infection vary with sex; in fection in boys is always more prevalent and more intense than in girls of the same age and second, that age and sex influence the reliability of self -reported schistosomiasis as a diagnostic method. Age and sex are factors t hat should be considered when implementing control measures in endemic area s. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.