Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) to assess the impact of school children's awareness of malaria using the MOSKI KIT® tool: study case of some Dakar schools in Senegal

Abstract

Background MOSKI KIT® is a fun tool designed to interest children for prevention and management of malaria. This study was carried out with the objective to assess the short- and long-term impacts of this tool on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of school children, and on the transmission of the knowledge received at the household level as well. Method The study took place in elementary schools in the city centre (with relatively low endemicity) and in the Niayes area (at high risk of anopheline and malaria) in the Dakar region of Senegal. The various schools chosen for this study were divided into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention schools were also divided into two subgroups, a full package subgroup and another partial package. During this study three surveys were conducted, the first one before exposure to the MOSKI KIT®, the second one a week later and the third a year later. For the control schools only one survey was conducted and at the same time than the third for the intervention schools. Two household surveys (a week and a year after exposure) were also conducted for the intervention schools against one for the control schools. Results Before sensitization, the proportion of school children with a grade above or equal to the average was 50% for the complete package subgroup (CPS) and 53% for the partial package subgroup (PPS). A week later, these proportions were 69% and 71%, respectively for the complete and PPSs. A year later, they were 99.4% for the CPS, 98.1% for the PPS and 99.5% for the control group; The number of children who spoke to their parents about malaria was greater in intervention schools than that of control schools. They were 46.63% and 32.58%, respectively in intervention and control schools. Conclusion The MOSKI KIT, has enabled an increase of the knowledge of school children about malaria in the short term and favoured its retention in the long term. However, its impact was not felt on their attitudes and practices.

Malaria prevention knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among adolescents living in an area of persistent transmission in Senegal: Results from a cross-sectional study

“…Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys are common tools that can capture critical information to guide the design of control interventions, in order to ensure community involvement, acceptance, and adherence [20,21]. Malaria KAP surveys have been conducted in many African countries [19,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30]; however, to our knowledge, there is a scarcity of data on malaria knowledge, attitudes, and practices among adolescents in Senegal, specifically those living in rural areas with high malaria transmission. Therefore, the present study sought to assess malaria related knowledge (causes, symptoms, prevention methods), attitudes towards the disease, uptake of control and prevention practices and care-seeking behaviors among adolescents living in areas with persistent malaria transmission in Senegal.…”

Malaria-associated risk factors among adolescents living in areas with persistent transmission in Senegal: a case–control study

“…This could be achieved through school-based delivery of a package of interventions targeting both conventional and traditional schools such as the koranic schools (‘Dara’ in Senegal). It is well established that school-based health education is an effective means of sustaining health knowledge and passing this knowledge to communities [ 34 – 36 ]. Other places/organizations that adolescents may attend such as vocational training centres, community-based networks/organizations and youth movements/associations could also be targeted to reach out-of-school adolescents [ 37 ].…”

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding malaria prevention and control in communities in the Eastern Region, Ghana, 2020

“…Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) surveys are frequently used tools that can gather crucial data to inform the design of malaria control and prevention activities and interventions, ensuring community participation, acceptance, and adherence [14,15]. Malaria KAP surveys have been conducted in many African countries including Cape Verde [16], Cameroon [17,18], Ethiopia [19][20][21][22], Nigeria [23,24] and Senegal [25]. Similar studies have also been conducted in some regions in Ghana [26][27][28][29].…”