उष्णकटिबंधीय रोग और सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य जर्नल

अमूर्त

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Malaria and Associated Factors in Areka Town, Southern Ethiopia: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Deresse Legesse Kebede , Desalegn Tsegaw Hibstu, Betelhem Eshetu Birhanu and Fanuel Belayneh Bekele

Background: Understanding knowledge level, perception towards and practical behaviors of individuals and communities is crucial to ensure appropriate intervention measures. However, comprehensive knowledge, perception and practice of the community on malaria is not investigated in the study area.

Objective: The study was conducted to assess comprehensive knowledge, attitude and practice level of the community towards malaria and associated factors in Areka town, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods: Community-based cross sectional study was conducted in Areka town from 15-25 January 2015. Data obtained from heads of households or their spouse or a family member aged 18 years or above using semistructured questionnaire. Knowledge, attitude and practice levels were measured by using likert scales. Above median scores were used to determine good knowledge, positive attitude and good practice. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associated factors.

Result: Data collected from 405 households. Among the total of 405 respondents participated in the study, 204 (50.4%) had good knowledge while 201 (49.6%) had poor knowledge on malaria. Those study participants with educational level of College and above were 6 times more likely to have good knowledge of malaria as compared to their illiterate counterparts (AOR (95% C.I)=6.377 (2.525, 16.109)) (p<0.001). Of the respondents, 223 (55.1%) had positive attitude while 182 (44.9%) had negative attitude towards malaria. Those who had good knowledge of malaria were 3 times more likely to have positive attitude towards malaria when compared to the ones having poor knowledge (AOR (95% C.I=3.069 (1.926, 4.893)) (p<0.001). Regarding practice, 274 (67.7%) of the study participants had good practice while 131 (32.3%) had poor practice in terms of malaria treatment, prevention and control. Those having positive attitude towards malaria were about 5 times more likely to practice good when compared to the one’s having negative attitude (AOR (95% C.I)=4.771 (2.885, 7.887)) (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Comprehensive level of knowledge, attitude and practice towards malaria were more or less comparable with most other studies. Positive attitude towards malaria was enhanced by knowledge of malaria, and in turn good practice on malaria was enhanced by positive attitude.