Table 1 Univariate analysis of factors associated with H. pylori infection [cases (%)]

Age(years)

  < 18

12 (20.7)

46 (79.3)

25.739

 < 0.001

 18 ~ 

521 (35.0)

966 (65.0)

 45 ~ 

622 (41.2)

886 (58.8)

  > 65

251 (43.4)

328 (56.6)

Gender

 Male

499 (36.8)

857 (63.2)

3.334

0.068

 Female

907 (39.9)

1369 (60.1)

Ethnicity

 Han

966 (39.7)

1466 (60.3)

3.158

0.076

 Li

440 (36.7)

760 (63.3)

Occupation

 Farmer

474 (41.4)

670 (58.6)

5.216

0.022

 Non-farmer

932 (37.5)

1556 (62.5)

Previous infections

 Yes

263 (36.2)

464 (63.8)

2.463

0.117

 No

1143 (39.3)

1762 (60.7)

Same bed

 Yes

1030 (40.5)

1515 (59.5)

11.103

0.001

 No

376 (34.6)

711 (65.4)

Family size

  ≤ 3

492 (30.8)

1108 (69.3)

76.403

 < 0.001

  > 3

914 (45.0)

1118 (55.0)

Family infection

 Yes

267 (40.2)

397 (59.8)

0.770

0.380

 No

1139 (38.4)

1829 (61.6)

Delivery method

 Natural labor

1298 (39.4)

1995 (60.6)

7.401

0.007

 Cesarean section

108 (31.9)

231 (68.1)

Breast feeding

 Yes

1255 (38.3)

2018 (61.7)

1.884

0.170

 No

151 (42.1)

208 (57.9)

Body mass index(BMI, kg/m²)

  < 18.5

89 (41.2)

127 (58.8)

2.048

0.359

 18.5 ~ 

447 (40.1)

669 (59.9)

  > 24.0

869 (37.9)

1424 (62.1)

Education level

 Primary education

739 (43.1)

977 (56.9)

33.547

 < 0.001

 Secondary education

352 (38.0)

575 (62.0)

 Higher education

1406 (31.9)

2226 (68.1)

Personal monthly income

  < 3 k

870 (40.8)

1260 (59.2)

10.667

0.005

 3 k-5 k

401 (36.4)

702 (63.6)

  > 5 k

135 (33.8)

264 (66.2)

Frequency of sharing utensils with others

 Frequent

1015 (41.0)

1461 (59.0)

17.076

 < 0.001

 Never or occasionally

391 (33.8)

765 (66.2)

Washing hands before meals

 Frequent

932 (35.9)

1662 (64.1)

29.617

 < 0.001

 Never or occasionally

474 (45.7)

564 (54.3)

Washing hands after using the toilet

 Frequent

1222 (37.9)

2004 (62.1)

8.414

0.004

 Never or occasionally

184 (45.3)

222 (54.7)

Brushing(frequency/day)

 None or 1 time

579 (42.8)

775 (57.2)

14.930

 < 0.001

 2 time and above

827 (36.3)

1451 (63.7)

Smoking

 Yes

194 (36.7)

335 (63.3)

1.084

0.298

 No

1212 (39.1)

1891 (60.9)

Frequent exercise

 Yes

890 (35.0)

1650 (65.0)

48.013

 < 0.001

 No

516 (47.3)

576 (52.7)

Work stress

 Frequent

790 (37.4)

1324 (62.6)

3.837

0.05

 Never or occasionally

616 (40.6)

902 (59.4)

Sleeping

 Good

1141 (39.4)

1756 (60.6)

2.742

0.098

 Weak

265 (36.1)

470 (63.9)

Dining out

 Frequent

300 (40.4)

443 (59.6)

1.092

0.296

 Never or occasionally

1106 (38.3)

1783 (61.7)

Types of drinking water

 Boiling tap water

1151 (38.8)

1816 (61.2)

0.396

0.820

 Bottled mineral water

173 (39.1)

269 (60.9)

 Well water

82 (36.8)

141 (63.2)

Regular meals

 Yes

1071 (36.2)

1888 (63.8)

42.634

 < 0.001

 No

335 (49.8)

338 (50.2)

Drinking

 Yes

419 (41.4)

592 (58.6)

4.409

0.036

 No

987 (37.7)

1634 (62.3)

Frequency of drinking tea

 Frequent

981 (39.3)

1517 (60.7)

1.057

0.304

 Never or occasionally

425 (37.5)

709 (62.5)

Frequency of fresh vegetable and fruit consumption

 Frequent

1020 (36.1)

1803 (63.9)

35.548

 < 0.001

 Never or occasionally

386 (47.7)

423 (52.3)

Frequency of pickle consumption

 Yes

301 (41.6)

422 (58.4)

3.245

0.072

 No

1105 (38.0)

1804 (62.0)

Frequency of betel nut consumption

 Frequent

139 (47.9)

151 (52.1)

11.291

0.001

 Never or occasionally

1267 (37.9)

2075 (62.1)

Family history of gastric cancer

 Yes

104 (61.9)

64 (38.1)

39.938

 < 0.001

 No

1302 (37.6)

2162 (62.4)

Upper gastrointestinal symptoms

 Yes

649 (46.1)

759 (53.9)

52.818

 < 0.001

 No

757 (34.0)

1467 (66.0)