Impact of Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis on Cognitive Performance and School Attendance Among Primary School Children in Ogun State, South West Nigeria

Soil-transmitted helminth infections exert well-documented negative effects on cognitive development, nutritional status, and school attendance in endemic children, yet empirical data quantifying these educational outcomes at the state level in southwestern Nigeria remain limited. This study examines the impact of soil-transmitted helminthiasis on cognitive performance and school attendance among primary school children in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. An analytical cross-sectional design with matched comparison was used, enrolling 400 children aged 6 to 14 years from 16 primary schools in Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta South, and Ewekoro Local Government Areas. Stool samples were examined using the Kato-Katz technique for helminth species identification and egg count quantification. Cognitive performance was assessed using adapted Raven's Progressive Matrices and the Digit Span subtest of the WISC battery, calibrated for educational level. School attendance was extracted from school registers over the preceding term. Multivariate analysis controlled for age, sex, nutritional status, and socioeconomic status. Evidence from 2020 to 2024 confirms that moderate to heavy helminth infections are independently associated with reduced working memory, processing speed, and increased absenteeism in Nigerian schoolchildren. This study generates state-specific data to support advocacy for intensified school-based deworming in Ogun State. Keywords: soil-transmitted helminths, cognitive performance, school attendance, Ogun State, Kato-Katz.