Community Knowledge Variation; Bed-Net Coverage and the Role of a District Healthcare System; and their Implications for Malaria Control in Southern Malawi
S. Afr. j. infect. dis. (Online)
; 27(3): 116-125, 2012.
Article
in English
| AIM
| ID: biblio-1270694
Responsible library:
CG1.1
ABSTRACT
This paper presents data on the pattern of knowledge of caregivers; bed-net coverage and the role of a rural district healthcare system; and their implications for malaria transmission; treatment; prevention and control in Chikhwawa; southern Malawi; using multi-level logistic regression modelling with Bayesian estimation. The majority of caregivers could identify the main symptoms of malaria; that the mosquito was the vector; and that insecticide-treated nets (ITN) could be used to cover beds as an effective preventative measure; although cost was a prohibitive factor. Use of bed nets displayed significant variation between communities. Groups that were more knowledgeable on malaria prevention and symptoms included young mothers; people who had attended school; wealthy individuals; those residing closest to government hospitals and health posts; and communities that had access to a health surveillance assistant (HSA). HSAs should be trained on malaria intervention programmes; and tasked with the responsibility of working with village health committees to develop community-based malaria intervention programmes. These programmes should include appropriate and affordable household improvement methods; identification of high-risk groups; distribution of ITNs and the incorporation of larval control measures; to reduce exposure to the vector and parasite. This would reduce the transmission and prevalence of malaria at community level
Full text:
Available
Index:
AIM (Africa)
Main subject:
Therapeutics
/
Rural Health
/
Knowledge
/
Insecticide-Treated Bednets
/
Malaria
Type of study:
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Language:
English
Journal:
S. Afr. j. infect. dis. (Online)
Year:
2012
Type:
Article
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