A systematic review of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about malaria among the South Asian population

Abstract

BackgroundMalaria is one of the deadliest mosquito-borne diseases in the world. More than 80% of the total populations are at risk of malaria in the 22 countries in Asia and the Pacific. South Asia alone is home to an estimated 1.4 billion people at risk of contracting malaria. Despite the remarkable progress in reducing the burden of malaria, evidence of the disease based on knowledge of the social and cultural contexts from a South Asian perspective is limited. Our objective was to understand the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about malaria in South Asian communities.MethodologyWe conducted a systematic literature review, searching six databases, between 1990 and 2015, focusing on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about malaria in South Asia. Databases were searched using both ‘free terms’ and ‘index terms’ funnelled using Boolean operators and truncations. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were set, and included papers were scrutinised, employing a critical appraisal tool to find the best available evidences to support the study purpose.Results and discussionEvidence from 32 articles (26 quantitative, four qualitative and two mixed methods). General knowledge and awareness of the disease, its transmission, and control and preventative measures were generally found to be lacking amongst both the general public and healthcare professionals. In addition, the study shows that poor socio-economic factors – including limited access to services due to poor/limited availability – and issues of affordability are considered as major risk factors.ConclusionThis review suggests the importance of increasing health awareness, mobilising the local or community healthcare professionals, for prevention as well as early detection and effective treatment of malaria among people who are at risk. Malaria is also a disease associated with poverty and socio-cultural factors; therefore, strong political will, wider partnerships between health and non-health sectors, and strengthening health systems’ technical and managerial capabilities at all level of primary healthcare systems, is inevitable.

Caregivers’ Malaria Knowledge, Beliefs and Attitudes, and Related Factors in the Bata District, Equatorial Guinea

“…The level of household knowledge about malaria and its determinants, especially in endemic countries, should be considered for successful implementation of malaria control programmes [12]. …”

Community Knowledge, Attitude and Practice About Malaria and Mosquito Biting Behavior in Southern Ethiopia

“…Risk factors for malaria infection include location (house near to breeding site and larval habitats) [1], attributes of houses or living units [9], socio-economic factors [1,10] and genetic characteristics of the occupants [11]. The climatic change like heavy rain and higher temperature favor the breeding of mosquitoes.…”

Household Environment and Malaria in Pregnancy in Ibadan, Nigeria

“…The risk of infection also depends on one's level of immunity. Pregnant women constitute the main adult risk group for malaria and 80% of deaths due to malaria in Africa occurs in pregnant women and children below 5 years [15]. This was made evident in this study, as a good number of the pregnant women had at least one episode of Malaria in their current condition.…”

“…The resulting effect has caused a mammoth economic and social burden on the country [14]. Pregnant women have been indicated as being at the greatest risk of contracting malaria [15]; pregnancy reduces a woman's immunity to malaria, and an increased vulnerability of pregnant women to malaria can have devastating consequences on both the women and the unborn child [16].…”