Factors affecting streptococcal colonization among children in selected areas of Alaska.

• Main Authors: Brant, L J, Bender, T R, Marnell, R W
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1982
• Subjects: Research Article; eskimo*; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1424359; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7122823

The epidemiology of streptococcal disease affecting 706 Alaskan Eskimo children was investigated by analysis of data on throat cultures obtained during a long-term surveillance program begun in 1971. A binary variable multiple-regression model was used to study the association between streptococcal colonization of these children and six potential risk factors: age, sex, number of children in household, region, health-aide rating, and colonization rate for each child the previous year. Factors found to be significantly associated with streptococcal colonization included age, past colonization, competence of local health-aide in providing care, and health-care region. Age varied most in the standardized colonization ratio (percentage of corresponding adjusted rate to overall crude colonization rate), ranging from 122 percent for children 3--6 years old to 67 percent for children 13--18 years old. The number of children in over-crowded homes and a child's sex were not apparently important. The method of analysis can be used to provide health-care planners with a simple means of identifying potentially important areas of concern for planning effective and economical health-care strategy.