Abstract
BackgroundDespite continuous efforts by the government and private sectors, malaria is still a public health problem in rural Peninsular Malaysia. This study investigated household knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) regarding malaria in two malaria endemic communities, forest-aboriginal and rural communities, in the Lipis district of Pahang state, Malaysia.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study with a semi-structured questionnaire was carried out among 100 and 123 households from forest-aboriginal and rural areas, respectively.ResultsKnowledge about malaria and its transmission is significantly higher among the rural participants than the aborigines (86.2% vs 76%, p < 0.01). However, use of medicinal plants and beliefs in witchcraft and sorcery in treating febrile diseases were significantly higher among the aboriginal population (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the two communities in terms of the knowledge about malaria symptoms, attitudes towards its severity and practices in preventive measures against malaria by using mosquito bed nets. However, the knowledge and practice of different preventive measures to combat malaria, such as insecticide and the elimination of breeding areas, was significantly higher among the rural population than the aborigines (p < 0.001).ConclusionsBoth communities were aware of malaria as a disease, but knowledge, attitudes and practices were inadequate. Providing efficient health education to people residing in malaria endemic areas would improve their understanding about malaria prevention in order to bring about the elimination of malaria from the country.
Highlights
Despite continuous efforts by the government and private sectors, malaria is still a public health problem in rural Peninsular Malaysia
In parallel with the implementation of Malaysia's malaria elimination programme, this study was conducted to investigate the KAP on malaria transmission, treatment and vector control among the forest-aboriginal and the rural communities in Lipis district, Pahang state, which still represents the area with the highest prevalence of malaria cases in Peninsular Malaysia
The majority (86.2%) of the rural participants have knowledge of malaria as a disease and 70.7% of them believed that malaria is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes and this was found to be influenced by their level of education; participants who had better education showed better knowledge about malaria as a disease and malaria symptoms (X2 = 24.037, p < 0.001; X2 = 4.416, p = 0.036 respectively)
Summary
Despite continuous efforts by the government and private sectors, malaria is still a public health problem in rural Peninsular Malaysia. This study investigated household knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) regarding malaria in two malaria endemic communities, forest-aboriginal and rural communities, in the Lipis district of Pahang state, Malaysia. The malaria control programme in Malaysia, established in 1901, has achieved significant success in controlling malaria and a tremendous reduction in the number of malaria cases has been achieved, from about 300,000 cases in 1961 to about 6,000 cases since 2003, In parallel with the implementation of Malaysia's malaria elimination programme, this study was conducted to investigate the KAP on malaria transmission, treatment and vector control among the forest-aboriginal and the rural communities in Lipis district, Pahang state, which still represents the area with the highest prevalence of malaria cases in Peninsular Malaysia
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