Determinants of malaria infection in Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia: a case-control study

Fisseha Agegnehu,Firnus Berihun,Melkamu Tamir,Alemayehu Shimeka

doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5370-4

Fisseha Agegnehu, Firnus Berihun + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-5370-4

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Abstract

BackgroundDespite the progress in reducing malaria infections and related deaths, the disease remains a major global public health problem. The problem is among the top five leading causes of outpatient visits in Dembia district of the northwest Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the determinants of malaria infections in the district.MethodsAn institution-based case-control study was conducted in Dembia district from October to November 2016. Out of the ten health centers in the district, four were randomly selected for the study in which 370 participants (185 cases and 185 controls) were enrolled. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Factors associated with malaria infections were determined using logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio with 95% CI was used as a measure of association, and variables with a p-value of ≤0.05 were considered as statistically significant.ResultsThe median age of all participants was 26 years, while that of cases and controls was 22 and 30 with a range of 1 to 80 and 2 to 71, respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression, over 15 years of age adjusted odds ratio(AOR) and confidence interval (CI) of (AOR = 18; 95% CI: 2.1, 161.5), being male (AOR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.9), outdoor activities at night (AOR = 5.7; 95% CI: 2.5, 12.7), bed net sharing (AOR = 3.9; 95% CI: 2.0, 7.7), and proximity to stagnant water sources (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.3, 5.4) were independent predictors.ConclusionBeing in over 15 years of age group, male gender, night time activity, bed net sharing and proximity to stagnant water sources were determinant factors of malaria infection in Dembia district. Additional interventions and strategies which focus on men, outdoor work at night, household net utilization, and nearby stagnant water sources are essential to reduce malaria infections in the area.

Highlights

Despite the progress in reducing malaria infections and related deaths, the disease remains a major global public health problem
More than one-third of the participants, 175 (37%), were farmers, that is, agriculture was the main source of income for 98% of the cases and 85% of the controls (Table 1)
In this study, being male, 15 and above years of age, staying outdoors at night, bed net sharing with more than 3 persons, and proximity to stagnant water were the determinants of malaria infection

Summary

Introduction

Despite the progress in reducing malaria infections and related deaths, the disease remains a major global public health problem. About 44% of the world’s population is at risk of malaria infection and over 97 countries are affected by the disease. 14 sub-Saharan African countries and India carried 80% of the global malaria burden [1]. Despite the progress gained in reducing malarial morbidity and mortality, the disease remains a major public health problem in many countries of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) report shows that the number of malaria cases globally fell from the estimated 237 million in 2010 to 216 million in 2016, a decline of 18%. The number of malarial deaths globally fell from the estimated 446, 000 in 2015 to 445, 000 in 2016 [2]

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