Deressa Alemayehu, Gamachu Mulugeta, Birhanu Abdi, Mamo Ayana Galana, Raru Temam Beshir, Negash Belay, Merga Bedasa Taye, Regassa Lemma Demissei, Ababulgu Fira Abamecha
School of Public Health, CHMS, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
School of Medicine, CHMS, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
Infect Drug Resist. 2023 Jul 13;16:4579-4592. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S415376. eCollection 2023.
In 2020, more than three billion of the world's population were the risk of being infected with malaria and four out of five deaths were from the African population. However, information is scarce on the association between risk perceptions and malaria prevention behaviors in resource-limited countries, particularly Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess malaria risk perceptions and preventive behaviors.
A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 401 elementary school students in Jimma zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, from April 2 to June 8, 2020. Data were collected through interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi-data 4.6 and analyzed using STATA version 14.2. The descriptive statistics were presented using frequency and percentages. A Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.7 or higher was used to assess the reliability of each domain. The Generalized Structural Equation Model (GSEM) was employed to examine the relationships and prediction of explanatory variables with risk perception and preventive behaviors of malaria. The model with a lower information criterion was taken as a better-fitting model. Finally, the statistically significant model effects were declared at a P-value of less than 0.05 at a confidence interval of 95%.
This study showed that having knowledge about malaria had an indirect positive effect on malaria preventive behavior (β = 1.29, 95% CI 0.11 to 2.47), and had a positive total effect on the preventive behavior (β = 2.99, 95% CI 0.08 to 2.67). Besides, an increased knowledge level had a direct positive effect on malaria risk perceptions (β = 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.14), and malaria risk perception had a direct positive effect on malaria preventive behavior (β = 1.21, 95% CI 0.10 to 2.31).
This study demonstrated that having knowledge about malaria had a direct and indirect association with malaria preventive behavior. An increased level of knowledge had a direct positive effect on malaria risk perceptions. Moreover, malaria risk perception had a direct positive effect on malaria preventive behavior. Therefore, malaria prevention-targeted interventions, behavior change, and knowledge enhancing communication should be enhanced or scaled up to contribute to prompt treatment and progress toward the elimination of malaria.
2020年，全球超过30亿人口面临感染疟疾的风险，五分之四的死亡病例来自非洲人口。然而，在资源有限的国家，尤其是埃塞俄比亚，关于风险认知与疟疾预防行为之间关联的信息匮乏。因此，本研究旨在评估疟疾风险认知和预防行为。
2020年4月2日至6月8日，在埃塞俄比亚奥罗米亚州吉马地区的401名小学生中开展了一项横断面研究。通过使用半结构化问卷进行访谈收集数据。数据录入Epi - data 4.6，并使用STATA 14.2版本进行分析。描述性统计采用频率和百分比呈现。使用克朗巴哈α系数大于或等于0.7来评估每个领域的信度。采用广义结构方程模型（GSEM）来检验解释变量与疟疾风险认知及预防行为之间的关系和预测作用。信息准则较低的模型被视为拟合效果更好的模型。最后，在95%置信区间内，P值小于0.05时声明模型效应具有统计学意义。
本研究表明，对疟疾有所了解对疟疾预防行为有间接正向影响（β = 1.29，95%置信区间为0.11至2.47），且对预防行为有正向总效应（β = 2.99，95%置信区间为0.08至2.67）。此外，知识水平的提高对疟疾风险认知有直接正向影响（β = 0.08，95%置信区间为0.01至0.14），疟疾风险认知对疟疾预防行为有直接正向影响（β = 1.21，95%置信区间为0.10至2.31）。
本研究表明，对疟疾有所了解与疟疾预防行为存在直接和间接关联。知识水平的提高对疟疾风险认知有直接正向影响。此外，疟疾风险认知对疟疾预防行为有直接正向影响。因此，应加强或扩大以疟疾预防为目标的干预措施、行为改变及知识强化宣传，以促进及时治疗并推动疟疾消除进程。
