Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Malaria Transmission and Its Preventive Measures among Households in Urban Areas of Assosa Zone, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Knowledge about the modes of transmission and preventive measures of malaria are important preceding factors for the acceptance and use of proven control tools by the community. Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) about modes of malaria transmission and preventive methods in the study areas. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three urban areas of Assosa zone, Western Ethiopia from January to February, 2006. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS for windows version 12.0.1. Adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were employed to test the strength of association. Results: About 48% of the study participants were aware that malaria can be transmitted by mosquito bites. Thirty percent (30%), of respondents were aware that mosquitoes carry disease causing microorganism, 95% were aware that mosquitoes bite during night, and 61% were aware that mosquitoes rest at dark places inside the house. Sleeping under a mosquito net and eliminating mosquito-breeding sites were identified by 58% and 52% of respondents, respectively, as major malaria preventive measures. Respondents' education and wealth status were associated with comprehensive knowledge on malaria preventive measures (OR= 2.42, 95% CI: 1.09, 5.4 and OR= 3.89, 95% CI: 1.99, 7.6, respectively). Conclusion: Knowledge of the role of mosquitoes in malaria transmission and comprehensive knowledge about malaria prevention strategies among the study population were observed to be lower than 50%. Comprehensive behavioral change and communication is required to improve the knowledge of the mode of malaria transmission and its preventive and control measures.

Knowledge and practice concerning malaria, insecticide-treated net (ITN) utilization and antimalarial treatment among pregnant women attending specialist antenatal clinics

“…The present survey findings are notably consistent with a recent study conducted among the local residents of Ethiopia, which indicated that about 84% of respondents had enough awareness about malaria transmission, and mosquito bites were identified correctly as the cause of malaria (Kaliyaperumal and Yesuf 2009). However, the level of awareness is slightly higher than in an earlier report that was conducted in Ethiopia by Legesse et al (2007), which reported that only 47.5% of the study participants mentioned mosquito bites as a mode of malaria transmission. However, the pregnant women's level of knowledge regarding malaria transmission was slightly lower compared to the few earlier studies conducted in Ethiopia that reported up to 93% awareness (Jima et al 2003(Jima et al , 2005.…”

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Malaria and Associated Factors in Areka Town, Southern Ethiopia: Community-Based CrossSectional Study

“…This finding is comparable with the report from a study in Nigeria in which 74.3% of the study participants has mentioned mosquito bite as mode of malaria transmission [20], and Iran, in which 77.8% of respondents believed that malaria is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes [22], but slightly lower than the report from Tanzania, where 80.2% of the study participants knew that the disease is transmitted by mosquitoes [23], and Botswana where malaria transmission as the result of mosquito bite was mentioned by 93% of the interviewees [21]. However, it is higher when compared with reports from different parts of Ethiopia, where the proportion of respondents that have linked malaria transmission with mosquito bite was about 48% [16,13]. On the other hand, 363 (89.6%) of respondents participated in this study correctly mentioned use of insecticide treated mosquito nets and draining stagnant water or moist areas as means of malaria prevention.…”

“…The figure is higher when compared with the report from Iran, where 14.2% of respondents had misconceptions [22], as well as the report from Botswana, where dirty water and unhygienic surroundings were mentioned as causes of malaria by 12.7% and 7% of respondents, respectively [21]. It is also revealed by studies from different parts of Ethiopia, where misconceptions regarding causes, transmissions, and prevention of malaria are very common [13,15].…”

“…This finding is consistent with reports from similar studies conducted in different parts of the country. For instance, according to the study conducted in Pawe district, Northwest Ethiopia, persons who were 9th grade or above were 4.9 times more likely to report a high score of malaria knowledge compared to those who had no formal education [1], whereas in the study conducted in Assosa zone, western Ethiopia, it was revealed that comprehensive knowledge about malaria preventive measures was significantly higher among those who completed college/university [13]. This could be explained by the fact that better educated individuals have better access to information and have the opportunity of better learning and understanding when compared to those with lower educational level or illiterates.…”

“…For instance, in a study from Tigray region, Ethiopia, mosquito as a cause of malaria was recognized by nearly half of the respondents (48.8%) [12]. In another study conducted among households in urban areas of Assosa zone, western Ethiopia, about 48% of study participants were aware that malaria can be transmitted by mosquito bites, and remarkable proportion of respondents had misconceptions regarding modes of malaria transmission [13]. In a study conducted in Amahara National Regional State, Ethiopia, only 32.3% of study participants knew that Anopheles mosquitoes are responsible for transmission of malaria, while only 61.29% of respondents believed that malaria can be prevented by using bed nets, and only 69% of respondents had positive attitude towards modern health care utilization for malaria treatment.…”