A malaria knowledge, attitudes and practice survey in a rural community in Guinea.

BACKGROUND

Malaria is the top public health problem in the Republic of Guinea, with more than 4 million cases and 10,000 deaths in 2021 among a population of approximately 13 million. It is also the second highest cause of death there. The purpose of this quantitative survey in a rural area of Guinea was to understand knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) about malaria and to assess water and sanitation practices among community members.

METHODS

In 2016, the authors conducted a cross-sectional household survey in Timbi-Touni, Guinea using community workers. The survey included respondent demographic characteristics, malaria knowledge, child health, water and sanitation, and health services access. Malaria knowledge and sleeping under bed nets were the primary outcome variables and multiple logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios.

RESULTS

Majority of the respondents were women (89.41%) and had never been to school (71.18%). Slightly more than half the children were reported to have ever had malaria and 45% reported to have ever had diarrhoea. There was no statistically significant association between gender or level of education and malaria knowledge. Eighty six percent of respondents had received a free bed net during national campaigns and 61% slept under a bed net the night before the survey. Knowing mosquitoes to be the cause of malaria and receiving free bed net were significantly associated with sleeping under a bed net. There was no statistically significant association between drinking water source and malaria or diarrhoea.

CONCLUSIONS

Both malaria and diarrhoea were considered to be serious illnesses for adults and children by nearly all respondents. Receiving free bed nets and having correct knowledge about malaria were the greatest predictors of sleeping under a bed net. Insights from this detailed KAP survey-such as focusing on radio to transmit malaria prevention information and reinforcing free malaria treatments-can guide policy makers and practitioners who design and implement malaria control and prevention measures in Guinea.