Abstract
BackgroundDespite significant improvement in prevention and control over the past decades malaria remains a significant public health concern in Tanzania with 93% of the population being at risk. To prevent malaria infection and promote malaria free zones, understanding the community’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward malaria control are essential. This study therefore aimed at determining the levels of understanding, and attitudes, as well as socio-cultural aspects of malaria prevention and treatment-seeking behaviours among suspected malaria patients.MethodsThis study was a hospital based cross-sectional study, in which patients attending Tumbi Referral Hospital with symptoms and signs that warrant inclusion of suspicion of malaria, were recruited. We used a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire to collect participants’ demographic characteristics, as well as information on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards malaria infection. Data were analysed using Stata Version 12.1.ResultsWe enrolled a total of 295 respondents of which 179 (60.68%) were females. Participants’ ages ranged from 1–91 years, with a mean of 31.4 years. Seventy-nine (26.8%) patients reported having malaria in the previous 28 days, with 57 (72.2%) being laboratory confirmed. Only 52 (65.8%) individuals reported taking prescribed medications for malaria. A total of 277 (93.90%) were aware of malaria, and 264 (95.31%) knew that it is transmitted by mosquito. Nearly all participants (263, 94.95%), identified sleeping under bed nets to be protective against malaria. About half of the respondents either agreed 63 (22.74%) or strongly agreed 62 (22.38%) that malaria can be transmitted like the common cold. Self-reported mosquito net use was 88.09% (244).ConclusionDespite the endemicity of malaria in our study site, patients had adequate knowledge, encouraging attitudes, and good practices related to malaria prevention and control.
Highlights
Malaria is an infectious vector-borne disease caused by four common species of protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malaria [1]
Despite the endemicity of malaria in our study site, patients had adequate knowledge, encouraging attitudes, and good practices related to malaria prevention and control
Plasmodium falciparum accounts for about 99% of all the malaria cases [2]
Summary
Malaria is an infectious vector-borne disease caused by four common species of protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malaria [1]. Despite significant improvement in prevention and control for the past decades, malaria remains a significant public health concern in Tanzania with 93% of the population at risk for malaria infection [4]. It remains among the leading national causes of morbidity and mortality especially in children under five years and pregnant women whereby malaria dominates outpatients, inpatients and admissions of under five year children at health facilities [4]. Despite significant improvement in prevention and control over the past decades malaria remains a significant public health concern in Tanzania with 93% of the population being at risk. This study aimed at determining the levels of understanding, and attitudes, as well as socio-cultural aspects of malaria prevention and treatment-seeking behaviours among suspected malaria patients
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