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Table 3 Factors associated with inaccurate blood smear malaria microscopy

From: Assessment of the accuracy of malaria microscopy in private health facilities in Entebbe Municipality, Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Variable

Inaccurate result n/N (%)

Univariate analysis

Multivariate analysis

OR (95% CI)a

p-value

OR (95% CI)a

p-value

Age of the patient (years)

 < 5

2/50 (4.0)

Reference group

Reference group

 5–15

8/42 (19.1)

1.75 (0.24–12.8)

0.58

1.57 (0.22–11.3)

0.66

 ≥ 15

19/229 (8.3)

0.83 (0.14–5.11)

0.84

0.58 (0.10–3.40)

0.55

Sex of the patient

 Female

15/174 (8.6)

Reference group

Reference group

 Male

14/147 (9.5)

1.26 (0.45–3.49)

0.66

1.13 (0.41–3.09)

0.82

Reported bed-net use

 Yes

24/273 (8.8)

Reference group

Reference group

 No

5/48 (10.4)

0.95 (0.22–4.14)

0.95

1.06 (0.25–4.51)

0.94

Age of technician (years)

 ≥ 30

2/97 (2.1)

Reference group

Reference group

 < 30

27/224 (12.1)

9.88 (0.51–191)

0.13

0.53 (0.06–4.60)

0.57

Qualification of microscopist

 Lab technician

14/183 (7.7

Reference group

Reference group

 Lab assistant

15/138 (10.9)

1.24 (0.09–16.4)

0.87

0.70 (0.15–3.35)

0.66

Experience of technician (years)

 ≥ 5

5/183 (2.7)

Reference group

Reference group

 < 5

24/138 (17.4)

5.26 (0.43–63.8)

0.19

9.74 (1.06–89.5)

0.04

Refresher training in malaria microscopy

 Yes

12/152 (7.9)

Reference group

Reference group

 No

17/169 (10.1)

2.84 (0.20–40.3)

0.44

2.87 (0.22–37.5)

0.42

Patient load in the laboratory

 ≥ 5 patients

7/250 (2.8)

Reference group

Reference group

 < 5 patients

22/71 (31.0)

38.3 (2.72–539)

0.007

38.8 (9.65–156)

< 0.001

Lighting in the laboratory

 Insufficient

17/276 (6.2)

Reference group

Reference group

 Sufficient

12/45 (26.7)

13.6 (0.35–527)

0.16

2.55 (0.27–24.1)

0.42

Laboratory space

 Insufficient

2/43 (4.7)

Reference group

Reference group

 Sufficient

27/278 (9.7)

1.21 (0.02–78.5)

0.93

1.33 (0.03–57.4)

0.88

Re-used slides

 Sometimes

14/231(6.1)

Reference group

Reference group

 Always

15/90 (16.7)

7.26 (0.51–103)

0.14

1.27 (0.11–14.7)

0.85

  1. aAdjusted for repeated observations at the same health facility and by the same laboratory personnel
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Malaria Journal

ISSN: 1475-2875

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