Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Malaria Prevention and Control Among Private Security Guards Within Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna State-Nigeria

Victor Oluwasanmi Amusan

doi:10.11648/j.sjph.20170503.22

Abstract

An understanding of knowledge, attitudes and practices among different populations such as security guards temporarily outside the home due to occupational reasons are key determinants for policy makers in designing malaria prevention and control interventions. A survey on knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on malaria prevention and control was conducted among two hundred and sixty-one (261) private security guards in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna State-Nigeria using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20 while associations between variables were tested using a Chi-Square test with the level of statistical significance set at 5%. There were 253 (96.94%) respondents with a high knowledge score about malaria, 201 (78%) of respondents with a positive attitude and there were 192 (74%) of respondents with good malaria practices score. The majority (97.7%) of the respondents have heard about malaria before while 96.9% of respondents correctly associated mosquito as malaria vector. The radio serves the majority (93.1%) as their source of information about malaria. Wearing long-sleeved shirts, trimming of bushes and use of ITNs are the leading malaria prevention methods practised by the respondents. Statistically significant association between malaria practice scores and respondent’s age (p-value = 0.022), gender (p-value = 0.002) and level of education (p-value = 0.006) was reported. Respondent’s knowledge about malaria (p = 0.008) and attitude towards malaria (p = 0.020) were found to significantly influence their practices towards malaria. For sustainable implementation of malaria intervention programmes, good malaria practices in conjunction with high level of awareness by the respondents are quite significant. One of the methods for malaria control that leads to morbidity and mortality reduction is educational based teachings on understanding individual knowledge, attitudes and practices on malaria.

Highlights

Malaria is the most common protozoan parasitic disease in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and is transmitted to man through the bites of infected female anopheline mosquito [1, 2]
This study is aimed at assessing the KAP on malaria prevention and control among private security guards within Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna State-Nigeria
The state shares borders with Kano, Katsina and Zamfara states to the North, Plateau and Bauchi states to the East, Nasarawa state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the South and Niger state to the West [15]

Summary

Introduction

Malaria is the most common protozoan parasitic disease in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and is transmitted to man through the bites of infected female anopheline mosquito [1, 2]. The vector borne parasitic infection is caused by Plasmodium species namely Plasmodium falciparum, P. ovale, P. vivax, and P. malariae [3]. Infections due to P. falciparum is the most common and deadly [4]. Malaria is a major public health problem in 97 countries and territories in the tropics and subtropics. 214 million cases of malaria occur annually with about 3.2 billion people at risk of infection [5]. 438,000 deaths were attributed to malaria in 2015, in subSaharan Africa, where an estimated 90% of all malaria deaths occur [5]

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