Ayeni Gabriel O, Olagbegi Oladapo M, Nadasan Thayananthee, Abanobi Okwuoma C, Daniel Ebenezer O
Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Lakes State, South Sudan.
Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Ethiop J Health Sci. 2020 Jul 1;30(4):501-512. doi: 10.4314/ejhs.v30i4.5.
High incidence of malaria disease in South Sudan may be largely due to poor/non-compliance with effective treatment and preventive measures. This study examined factors limiting/enhancing compliance with the utilization of known and effective malaria treatment and preventive measures in Wulu, South Sudan.
A case-control study involving 396 respondents was conducted. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to elicit information regarding socio-demographics and factors influencing compliance with using available treatment and preventive measures for malaria.
Respondents diagnosed with malaria reported lack of insecticide treated nets (51.5%) and forgetfulness (16.6%) as reasons for not using insecticide treated nets. About 26% of them lacked the knowledge of insecticide treated net's usefulness, while 57.5% of them did not consider it necessary to have door/window barriers. About 44% of all respondents forgot to take prescribed drugs at the right time while 14.5% of them did not complete drug prescriptions because they felt relief of symptoms. There were significant associations between identified factors of compliance to treatment/preventive measures and occurrence of malaria (all at p = 0.001). Having insecticide treated nets (OR: 5.78; CI: 3.46-9.00), awareness of its benefits (OR: 8.76; CI: 3.02-25.37), being taught on its use (OR: 3.35; CI: 2.17-5.18) and understanding of its use (OR: 3.80; CI: 2.01-7.20) were significantly associated with year-round utilization of insecticide treated nets.
Poor access to and knowledge of malaria treatment, control and preventive measures are leading barriers to their effective utilization in Wulu.
南苏丹疟疾发病率高可能主要归因于对有效治疗和预防措施的依从性差或不依从。本研究调查了在南苏丹武卢限制/促进对已知有效疟疾治疗和预防措施使用依从性的因素。
开展了一项涉及396名受访者的病例对照研究。使用半结构化问卷对参与者进行访谈，以获取有关社会人口统计学以及影响对可用疟疾治疗和预防措施使用依从性的因素的信息。
被诊断患有疟疾的受访者报告称，没有使用驱虫蚊帐的原因包括缺乏驱虫蚊帐（51.5%）和遗忘（16.6%）。其中约26%的人不了解驱虫蚊帐的作用，而57.5%的人认为没有必要设置门窗屏障。所有受访者中约44%的人忘记在正确时间服用处方药，14.5%的人未完成药物处方是因为他们感觉症状有所缓解。确定的治疗/预防措施依从性因素与疟疾发病之间存在显著关联（均p = 0.001）。拥有驱虫蚊帐（比值比：5.78；置信区间：3.46 - 9.00）、了解其益处（比值比：8.76；置信区间：3.02 - 25.37）、接受过使用方法培训（比值比：3.35；置信区间：2.17 - 5.18）以及理解其使用方法（比值比：3.80；置信区间：2.01 - 7.20）与全年使用驱虫蚊帐显著相关。
难以获得疟疾治疗、控制和预防措施以及相关知识，是这些措施在武卢有效利用的主要障碍。
