Preventing malaria in pregnancy: knowledge and practices of pregnant women in an urban hospital in Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a public health concern in Ghana. The current national control program seeks to have 85% of pregnant women sleeping under insecticide treated nets (ITNs). It also seeks to achieve 100% intake of at least 2 doses of Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP). In order to achieve these aims, it is important that pregnant women have good knowledge of malaria and subscribe to good preventive practices. This cross-sectional study sought to evaluate the knowledge and practices on malaria prevention among pregnant women in an urban setting of Ghana. Methods: This was a hospital-based study which involved 185 pregnant women visiting an urban hospital for antenatal care in Kumasi, Ghana. Data was collected via structured interviewer administered questionnaires. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to assess the participants’ knowledge and practices on malaria prevention. Results: The women demonstrated good knowledge of MiP, with 76% of them having an excellent knowledge score. Familiarity with ITNs (99.5%) was higher than IPTp-SP (86.5%). There was a statistically significant association between tertiary education and high total knowledge score (X2 =31.912, df = 18, p = 0.023). ITN usage was poor (55.1%), with common challenges being difficulty in hanging nets, nets being deemed too hot, and unpleasant smell of the nets. 66.5% of the women had taken at least 2 SP doses. Conclusion: Although there was good knowledge, ITN use and SP coverage were below national targets. More studies should be conducted to explore the factors underlying poor ITN use and SP intake.