Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
School of Integrative Studies, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA.
Malar J. 2024 Oct 18;23(1):314. doi: 10.1186/s12936-024-05121-8.
Peru is a low-endemic transmission area for malaria, where the majority (84%) of incident malaria cases are localized to the department of Loreto, which is composed of several geographically isolated rural communities. Recent intervention efforts targeting at-risk Indigenous populations that live in riverine communities in Loreto place emphasis on preventive behaviours to decrease transmission. However, malaria related behaviour change is often dependent upon local knowledge, beliefs, and practices, especially in areas where malaria is viewed an embedded and unavoidable aspect of life.
This exploratory case study used semi-structured interviews conducted in Spanish between February and March of 2019 to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to malaria prevention among the Indigenous Maijuna people of Sucusari, Loreto, Peru. Participants who consented were also administered a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) upon the time of interview.
A total of 33 community members were interviewed, and 31 were tested via malaria rapid diagnostic tests, with RDT filter paper subsequently tested using PCR. All test results were negative for malaria. Themes that emerged included: varying knowledge of methods to prevent malaria, reports of observed changes in malaria incidence over time, confusion surrounding malaria transmission, treatment-seeking as a common behaviour, the belief that medications are effective, and the acceptance of bed nets which were viewed as a lifestyle norm.
These shared narratives should be used as a foundation for further studies and health interventions among communities in the Peruvian Amazon with limited access to health services where culturally resonant, community-based health programming is essential to improving health. Takeaways regarding confusion surrounding malaria transmission should also be considered.
秘鲁是疟疾低传播地区，大多数（84%）疟疾发病病例集中在洛雷托省，该省由几个地理上相互隔离的农村社区组成。最近，针对生活在洛雷托河流社区的高危土著人群的干预措施侧重于预防行为，以减少传播。然而，疟疾相关行为的改变往往依赖于当地的知识、信仰和实践，尤其是在疟疾被视为生活中不可避免的一部分的地区。
本探索性案例研究于 2019 年 2 月至 3 月期间以西班牙语进行了半结构化访谈，以调查秘鲁洛雷托省苏库萨里的土著迈朱纳人预防疟疾的知识、态度和实践。同意参与的参与者还在访谈时接受了快速诊断测试（RDT）。
共访谈了 33 名社区成员，其中 31 名接受了疟疾快速诊断测试，随后用 PCR 检测 RDT 滤纸条。所有测试结果均为疟疾阴性。出现的主题包括：预防疟疾方法的知识差异、随着时间推移观察到的疟疾发病率变化的报告、对疟疾传播的困惑、求医行为是一种常见行为、药物有效的信念，以及对被视为生活方式规范的蚊帐的接受。
这些共同的叙述应该作为进一步研究和在秘鲁亚马逊地区缺乏卫生服务的社区中进行卫生干预的基础，在这些社区中，基于文化共鸣的社区为基础的卫生规划对于改善健康至关重要。还应该考虑到对疟疾传播的困惑。
