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Washington, DC — July 10, 2006 — Two studies recently conducted by International Relief and Development indicate that round worm and hook worm infections in young children can be dramatically reduced by teaching them good hygiene habits.

Jasna Basaric-Keys, director of IRD’s Health sector, and Dr. Julia Albright, IRD senior health adviser found that in elementary schools in Indonesia where students were treated with de-worming pills and also were given intensive education in health and hygiene, the cure rate was twice as high as schools where the students received only the medication.

“Debilitation and illness caused by worm infestation in both children and older adults are a chronic problem throughout the world” Basaric-Keys pointed out. “But it is possible to eradicate this terrible ailment through the combination of inexpensive medication and health education.”

Albright said about the findings, “Results from our first study in 2005 indicated that behavior played a major role in children’s ability to stay healthy and free of worms. But our second study released earlier this year gave incontrovertible proof that this is the case.”

She emphasized, “It is so important that children receive the de-worming medication, but equally important that they are trained on how to stay clean and healthy.”

The health and hygiene education for primary school children is basic. Instruction is in the following areas: ensuring that children wash their hands before and after eating, that they wear shoes when out of doors, use latrines instead of the ground, take baths regularly, brush their teeth, avoid eating dirt and insist on well-cooked food.

Round worms and hook worms are found in the soil and their eggs are easily transmitted to children through eating dirt or playing in the dirt and not washing hands and bodies.

For complete information on the two studies, please see below.

( Studies are in PDF format. Click here to get Acrobat Reader.)