MUNISI DISSERTATION REPORT FINAL[1].pdf - muhas

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within the wards on separate pieces of paper, put in a box, thoroughly mixed then blindly
picked one piece of paper and wrote the name of the school in a note book, replaced the piece
of paper, and did the same to select the second school. Before selection of study participants
children were asked of a history of being clinically ill and/or having taken drugs within a
period of the past one month, and those who reported to have been ill were not involved in the
study. A minimum number of 61 children were selected from each school. To obtain this
number of children, one class from each of the selected schools was randomly selected to be
studied and all the school children in that class were included in the study, this was done by
writing the class levels on separate pieces of paper, then put them in a box, shook the box and
one paper was blindly picked and that class was taken for study. When one class did not have
the minimum number of pupils required, a second class was selected, this was done until a
minimum number of 61 children was obtained.
3.6. Inclusion criteria
All selected primary school children who were living in the study area for at least three
months whose parents or guardians signed a written consent form and willing to participate in
the study were included in the study.
3.7. Exclusion criteria
Primary school children who were having a history of being clinically ill and used drug within
a period of one month before the study, and those whose parents and guardians refused to sign
a written consent form were not included in the study.
3.8. Recruitment and training of research assistants
One research assistant was recruited from Same township and was trained on how to take
measurement of weight and height before starting the data collection exercise. A day before
data collection, a nurse from nearby dispensary was being recruited and trained on how to use
a HaemoCue photometer for measuring Hb.