Knowledge, Attitude and Management Practices on Malaria: A Case Study of Amansea, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

A cross-sectional study on the knowledge, attitude and management practices (KAP) of malaria in Amansea, Awka North Local Government Area was undertaken between the months of May and June, 2010. A total of 372 pre-tested questionnaires were self or researcher administered to community members. Knowledge on the cause of malaria included overwork, sunlight, oily food, malaria parasite and unhygienic environment for 6.5%, 4.3%, 12.9%, 57% and 19.4% of the respondents respectively. Another proportion 102 (27.4%) of the sampled population admitted symptoms of malaria attack to be fever, chills, stomach upset, vomiting, bodyache and headache. Two hundred and sixty respondents (69.9%) acknowledged that infected female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria. The use of insecticide-treated bed nets was accepted (40.9%) as the best preventive measure. One hundred and forty-nine respondents (40.1%) visited the hospital while 17.7% went to herbalists and 9.7% went to prayer houses for treatment. On the choice of drugs, 50.9% used Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies. A proportion of the respondents (40.9%) made use of the local herb, Azadirachta indica. It is evidenced that knowledge, attitude and management practices of malaria need to be improved. We suggest that malaria public enlightenment efforts should be intensified, effective malaria preventive methods be made affordable and that support be provided to make malaria treatments at public hospitals free.