Factors Associated with Gastritis in Adolescents Aged 10 to 17 Years at Matanda Hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This study, conducted at Matanda Hospital from 1 January to 31 September 2021, focused on the factors associated with gastritis in adolescents aged 10 to 17 years, with a view to contributing to the promotion and improvement of adolescents's health. The objectives of the study were to identify the determinants of gastritis in children aged 10-17 years at Matanda Hospital and to determine the difference in the distribution of these factors among cases and their controls.

The study involved 180 children divided into 90 cases of adolescents with gastritis and 90 control adolescents without gastritis. We thus opted for a case-control study to compare the frequency of exposure to a risk factor in gastritic and non-gastritic adolescents. To carry out these investigations, we used the interview and observation guide as data collection tools; data analysis was done with Epi-Info software using the Odds Ratio to measure the association between gastritis and the different risk factors.

Of the individual factors, only self-medication (OR=6.66) was associated with gastritis. In addition, history of alcoholism with OR=1.47; history of smoking (OR=1.19); psychological stress (OR=2.04); NSAID abuse with OR=1.48, are all behavioural factors associated with gastritis in children. Of all the nutritional factors, the following were retained as risk factors for gastritis in children: irregular mealtimes (OR=1.5); poor food hygiene (OR=1.7); poor chewing ability (OR=1.73).