Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital, Mampong, Ghana.
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana.
PLoS One. 2023 Aug 30;18(8):e0290822. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290822. eCollection 2023.
In sub-Saharan Africa countries including Ghana, the malaria burden remains unacceptably high and still a serious health challenge. Evaluating a community's level of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding malaria is essential to enabling appropriate preventive and control measures. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge of malaria, attitudes toward the disease, and adoption of control and prevention practices in some communities across the Eastern Region of Ghana.
A cross‑sectional based study was carried out in 13 communities across 8 districts from January -June, 2020. Complete data on socio-demographic characteristics and KAP were obtained from 316 randomly selected household respondents by a structured pre-tested questionnaire. Associations between KAP scores and socio-demographic profiles were tested by Chi-square and binary logistic regression. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 26.0.
Most respondents (85.4%) had good knowledge score about malaria. Preferred choice of treatment seeking place (50.6%) was the health center/clinic. All respondents indicated they would seek treatment within 24 hours. Mosquito coils were the preferred choice (58.9%) against mosquito bites. Majority of households (58.5%) had no bed nets and bed net usage was poor (10.1%). Nearly half of the respondents (49.4%) had a positive attitude toward malaria and 40.5% showed good practices. Chi-square analysis showed significant associations for gender and attitude scores (p = 0.033), and educational status and practice scores (p = 0.023). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that 51-60 year-olds were less likely to have good knowledge (OR = 0.20, p = 0.04) than 15-20 year-olds. Respondents with complete basic schooling were less likely to have good knowledge (OR = 0.33, p = 0.04) than those with no formal schooling. A positive attitude was less likely in men (OR = 0.61, p = 0.04). Good malaria prevention practice was lower (OR = 0.30, p = 0.01) in participants with incomplete basic school education compared to those with no formal schooling.
Overall scores for respondents' knowledge, though good, was not reflected in attitudes and levels of practice regarding malaria control and prevention. Behavioral change communication, preferably on radio, should be aimed at attitudes and practice toward the disease.
在包括加纳在内的撒哈拉以南非洲国家，疟疾负担仍然高得令人无法接受，仍是一个严重的健康挑战。评估社区对疟疾的知识、态度和实践（KAP）水平对于实施适当的预防和控制措施至关重要。本研究旨在评估加纳东部地区 13 个社区的疟疾知识、对该病的态度以及控制和预防措施的采用情况。
2020 年 1 月至 6 月，在 8 个区的 13 个社区进行了一项基于横断面的研究。通过结构预测试问卷从 316 名随机选择的家庭受访者中获得了完整的社会人口统计学特征和 KAP 数据。通过卡方检验和二元逻辑回归检验 KAP 评分与社会人口统计学特征之间的关联。使用 SPSS 版本 26.0 进行数据分析。
大多数受访者（85.4%）对疟疾有较好的知识评分。首选治疗地点（50.6%）是卫生中心/诊所。所有受访者均表示将在 24 小时内寻求治疗。蚊香是对抗蚊虫叮咬的首选（58.9%）。大多数家庭（58.5%）没有蚊帐，蚊帐使用率很低（10.1%）。近一半的受访者（49.4%）对疟疾持积极态度，40.5%表现出良好的实践。卡方分析显示，性别和态度评分之间存在显著关联（p = 0.033），教育程度和实践评分之间存在显著关联（p = 0.023）。二元逻辑回归分析显示，51-60 岁的人比 15-20 岁的人更不可能有良好的知识（OR = 0.20，p = 0.04）。完成基础学校教育的受访者比没有正规学校教育的受访者更不可能有良好的知识（OR = 0.33，p = 0.04）。男性患疟疾的可能性较低（OR = 0.61，p = 0.04）。与没有正规学校教育的人相比，基础学校教育不完全的人预防疟疾的做法较低（OR = 0.30，p = 0.01）。
尽管受访者的知识总体评分良好，但在疟疾控制和预防方面的态度和实践水平上却没有反映出来。应该通过广播等方式进行针对疾病态度和实践的行为改变传播。
