The Practice of the Public Health Cooperation in the Republic of Sierra Leone: Contributions and Experiences

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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Sierra Leone is a highly endemic area for malaria, and the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2016–2020) has reached its midpoint in 2018. To provide more specific guidance for interventions in the future, a household-based cross-sectional survey was conducted to elucidate the knowledge, awareness and practices regarding malaria and malarial control measures among the general public. Three communities (Grafton, Jui, and Kossoh) in the Western Area Rural District that were in close proximity to Sierra Leone's capital city of Freetown were included. Households were randomly selected and interviewed with a structured questionnaire covering malaria infection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention, as well as knowledge of malaria prevention. As a result, a total of 262 qualified questionnaires were included. The average cost for meals per day is ~30,000 Leones in each household. The rate of awareness, indicated by reporting having heard of malaria, was 98.1% (257/262), and 86.6% (227/262) of the respondents knew that mosquito bites are the main route of transmission. In addition, 80.9% (212/262) of the respondents sought health advice or treatment for the illness, and a similar percentage of respondents had been tested for malaria, mostly with rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). A high demand for long-lasting insecticidal nets (72.1%) matched the serious shortage (61.8%, 162/262), and of the households that reported a lack of nets, 66 had children younger than 5 years old. In conclusion, public awareness of malaria prevention is high, based on this survey, although there was a limited use of preventive measures in these three communities and the malaria burden was still high. Therefore, the public's knowledge of malaria should be sustained and reinforced, and the distribution and use of malaria prevention measures should be promoted to supprt the achievement of the planned objectives.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Household-Based Cross-Sectional Survey of Knowledge, Awareness and Practice Regarding Malaria in Western Area Rural District, Sierra Leone

Wang

Yin

et al. 2021

Front. Public Health

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“…Leone. Local staff from Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory [7] were trained in prior and conducted the survey.…”

Section: The Survey Was Conducted In December 2018 With Collaborationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge, awareness and practices of malaria in Western Area Rural District, Sierra Leone: a household-based cross-sectional survey in the middle of National Malaria Strategic Plan (2016-2020)

WANG

Yin²,

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background The malaria epidemic is high in Sierra Leone, and the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2016-2020) has reached its middle stage. In order to guide the interventions more specifically in future, a household-based cross-sectional survey was conducted to understand the public perception of knowledge, attitudes and practices of malaria and its control.Methods Three communities (Grafton, Jui and Kossoh) in Western Area Rural District within close proximity to Sierra Leone’s capital city of Freetown were included. Households were randomly selected and interviewed with a structural questionnaire covering malaria infection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention, as well as the knowledge of malaria prevention, in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone. Results A total of 262 qualified questionnaires were included. The average cost for meals per day is around 30000 Leones in each household. The awareness rate of having heard of malaria is 98.1% (257/262) and knowing mosquito biting as its main route of transmission is 86.6% (227/262) respectively. And 80.9% (212/262) of the respondents sought health advice or treatment for the illness, and similar percentage of them could be tested for malaria, mostly through RDTs. A great demand of long-lasting insecticidal nets (72.1%) was raised to fulfill the high shortage (61.8%, 162/262) in households, and of them there were 66 families having children under five years old.Conclusion Malaria burden is still high. Although public awareness of malaria prevention sounds well in this survey, the fact that the coverage of supplies and the use of preventive measures against malaria is low in households within the three communities. It is suggested that an advanced campaign should be carried out to scale up not only the knowledge on malaria but also the actual coverage and usage of malaria prevention measures, contributing to the achievements of planned objectives.

“…Program of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone. Staff from Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory [7] were trained in prior and conducted the survey.…”

Section: The Survey Was Conducted In December 2018 With Collaborationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge, Awareness and Practices of Malaria in Western Area Rural District, Sierra Leone: A Household-based Cross-sectional Survey in the Middle of National Malaria Strategic Plan (2016-2020)

WANG

Yin

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

BackgroundThe malaria epidemic is high in Sierra Leone, and the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2016-2020) has reached its middle stage. In order to guide the interventions more specifically in future, a household-based cross-sectional survey was conducted to understand the public perception of knowledge, attitudes and practices of malaria and its control.MethodsThree communities (Grafton, Jui and Kossoh) in Western Area Rural District within close proximity to Sierra Leone’s capital city of Freetown were included. Households were randomly selected and interviewed with a structural questionnaire covering malaria infection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention, as well as the knowledge of malaria prevention, in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone.ResultsA total of 262 qualified questionnaires were included. The average cost for meals per day is around 30000 Leones in each household. The awareness rate of having heard of malaria is 98.1% (257/262) and knowing mosquito biting as its main route of transmission is 86.6% (227/262) respectively. And 80.9% (212/262) of the respondents sought health advice or treatment for the illness, and similar percentage of them could be tested for malaria, mostly through RDTs. A great demand of long-lasting insecticidal nets (72.1%) was raised to fulfill the high shortage (61.8%, 162/262) in households, and of them there were 66 families having children under five years old.ConclusionMalaria burden is still high. Although public awareness of malaria prevention sounds well in this survey, the fact that the use of preventive measures against malaria is low in households within the three communities. It is suggested that an advanced campaign should be carried out to scale up not only the knowledge on malaria but also the actual usage of malaria prevention measures.