ROLE OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATE IN PREVALENCE OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI AMONG DIFFERENT MILITARY GROUPS

Abstract

Objective: Detection of the role of socioeconomic status m prevalence ofHelicobacter pylori among different military groups.

Methods: This work was conducted on 70 male patients who were divided into three groups; Officers group, includes 30 officers representing the high socioeconomic group, Soldiers group, includes 30 soldiers representing the low socioeconomic group, and control group, which includes 10 patients from non military population. All of our patients complain from upper GIT manifestation, and patients who rece1vmg non steroidal ant-inflammatory, antibiotic, proton pump inhibitor or cmiicosteroid were excluded from our study. Also patients with chronic disease or previous gastric surgery were excluded from our study.

Results: Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in soldiers which representing the low socioeconomic group was (86.6%) which is higher than that of officers which representing the high socioeconomic group (66.6%). Infection in patients under 20 years was (90%), in patients from 20-30 years (75%), (62.5%) in patients from 31-40 years and (80%) in patients from 41-50 years. The most commonly recorded complaints in H.pylori positive cases were anorexia(67 .3%), recurrent abdominal pain and heart burn (65.2%). It was found that (91.6%) Of patients with gastric ulcer and (93.3%) of patients with duodenal ulcer were H.pylori positive and among H.pylori infected patients (82.6%) were smokers.

Conclusions: We conclude that infection with Helicobacter pylori is higher among smokers, young adult and low socioeconomic subjects than that of high socioeconomic subjects and studies designed in our country to determine H.pylori prevalence most put into consideration the socioeconomic status and age of study subjects.