Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Fred N. Binka School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
Malar J. 2024 Nov 21;23(1):354. doi: 10.1186/s12936-024-05185-6.
Malaria has been described as a disease of poverty, affecting the poorest populations typically living in rural areas. As hitherto rural areas transition into semi-urban environments, this study investigated the prevalence of falciparum malaria and associated risk factors in two rapidly urbanizing districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
A cross-sectional, hospital-based study was conducted at Agona and Mankranso Government Hospitals located within the Sekyere South and Ahafo Ano Southwest districts respectively, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Five µL of venous blood was obtained from suspected malaria patients and tested for malaria using rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Data on socio-demographic factors, clinical symptoms, and housing characteristics were collected using a structured questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors associated with malaria.
A total of 1739 participants were enrolled in the study between January and June 2021 with median age of 22 years (IQR = 6-36). Overall malaria prevalence was 24.8%. Compared to > 30-year-olds, children between 0 and 5 years (aOR = 3.36) and those aged between 6 and 14 (aOR = 6.71) were three and six times more likely to test positive for malaria, respectively. Similarly, farming (aOR = 1.74), compared to other occupations, living close to stagnant water (aOR = 1.34), experiencing chills (aOR = 1.5), and vomiting (aOR = 1.93) were associated with increased odds of malaria infection. Having roofing ceiling (aOR = 0.66) and screened doors (aOR = 0.75) were associated with decreased risk of malaria. However, sleeping under insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), using mosquito coils/repellents, and indoor residual spraying (IRS) were not statistically significantly associated with infection.
Children between 0 and 5 years and those aged between 6 and 14 years continue to shoulder the highest burden of malaria. Efforts to improve housing characteristics such as installation of roofing ceiling, screening doors, and clearing potential mosquito breeding sites should be encouraged in these rapidly urbanizing areas.
疟疾被描述为一种贫困病，主要影响通常生活在农村地区的最贫困人群。随着农村地区逐渐向半城市环境过渡，本研究在加纳阿散蒂地区的两个快速城市化地区阿贡纳和曼克朗索政府医院调查了恶性疟原虫疟疾的流行情况和相关危险因素。
这是一项在加纳阿散蒂地区阿散蒂地区阿散蒂地区阿贡纳和曼克朗索政府医院进行的横断面、基于医院的研究。从疑似疟疾患者中抽取 5 µL 静脉血，并用快速诊断试验（RDT）检测疟疾。使用结构化问卷收集社会人口统计学因素、临床症状和住房特征数据。采用单变量和多变量逻辑回归分析确定与疟疾相关的危险因素。
2021 年 1 月至 6 月期间，共纳入 1739 名参与者，中位年龄为 22 岁（IQR=6-36）。总体疟疾患病率为 24.8%。与>30 岁的人相比，0 至 5 岁的儿童（aOR=3.36）和 6 至 14 岁的儿童（aOR=6.71）患疟疾的可能性分别高出 3 倍和 6 倍。同样，与其他职业相比，务农（aOR=1.74）、居住在死水附近（aOR=1.34）、发冷（aOR=1.5）和呕吐（aOR=1.93）与疟疾感染的几率增加有关。有屋顶天花板（aOR=0.66）和筛门（aOR=0.75）与疟疾风险降低有关。然而，使用经杀虫剂处理的蚊帐、使用蚊香/驱虫剂和室内滞留喷洒（IRS）与感染无统计学显著关联。
0 至 5 岁和 6 至 14 岁的儿童继续承受着疟疾的最大负担。在这些快速城市化地区，应鼓励改善住房特征，如安装屋顶天花板、筛门和清除潜在的蚊子滋生地。
