Effects of age and gender on malaria knowledge among people attending Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo and University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria is responsible for most morbidity and fatality in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria having the highest proportion. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of age and gender on people’s knowledge towards malaria at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo and University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Southeast Nigeria. A hospital-based study was conducted on 500 participants attending health care. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to elicit information on socio-demographic characteristics and respondents’ knowledge on cause, signs and symptoms, and prevention of malaria. The socio-demographic variables for the respondents showed that 50.4% were male, while 49.6% were female; (34%, 66%) were < 11 years and ≥ 11 years respectively. The association of participants’ knowledge towards cause, signs and symptoms, and prevention of malaria with age was (< 11 years: Mean score = 28.8, 28.1, 34.9, SD = 3.8, 1.46, 11.2; ≥ 11 years: Mean score = 53.8, 63.3, 59.1, SD = 4.54, 0.91, 4.74) respectively. The association of respondents’ knowledge on malaria cause, signs and symptoms, and prevention with gender was (male: Mean score = 48.9, 50.47, 50.3 SD= 1.79, 0.58, 3.50; female: Mean score = 38.1, 40.9, 43.7, SD = 2.54, 1.48, 3.58) respectively. The older and the male study populace had better significant knowledge towards malaria with respect to cause, signs and symptoms, and prevention than their counterparts.