Practices of Malaria Prevention among School Adolescent within Calabar Metropolis, Southern Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the practices of Malaria prevention among school adolescent within Calabar Metropolis, Southern Nigeria. Stratified and systematic sampling technique was used to select four hundred (400) respondents used as the sample for the study. Questionnaire was administered to the respondents. Data collected were analyzed by the use of frequency tables, graphs, means, and standard deviation. Chi-square was used to compare proportions and associations between variables. It was discovered that respondents who have heard of malaria 400 (100%) are also aware of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN), 394 (98.5%) but the use of ITN was substantially average among them. Stagnant water and over grown weeds were identified as breeding site for Anopheles mosquito. Health workers, followed by media were the major sources of information on malaria prevention. It is recommended that school teachers should be empowered with information about the causes of malaria and prevention strategies.

Malaria classroom corner: a school-based intervention to promote basic malaria awareness and common control practices among school-age children

“…This was not surprising since majority of them had experienced malaria in the past. High awareness about malaria has similarly been reported among children of this age category in a previous Nigerian study (Eko et al , 2013). However, knowledge about specific malaria issues and concepts was quite low among the pupils at baseline in both our intervention and control schools.…”

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

“…This result corroborates those reported by other studies conducted in Tanzania [22], in Nigeria [41][42][43][44], in India [45], and in Ethiopia [46]. The study participants reported CHWs and nurses as their main sources of malaria-related information, which was a similar finding to a study conducted in Nigeria among school adolescents [42]. This result could be explained by the fact that nurses and CHWs are often the primary points of contact for adolescent health care services in many remote settings, including in Senegal.…”

“…In addition, the majority of adolescents believe it is important to be tested for malaria before taking a malaria treatment and to complete the treatment when given. Similar findings were shown in a study conducted in Nigeria; participants also perceived malaria as deadly [42]. In our study, most adolescents believe malaria to be a preventable disease, a result that is consistent with another study conducted in Nigeria [43].…”

“…In general, most of the adolescents demonstrated awareness of malaria transmission, symptoms, and prevention methods. This result corroborates those reported by other studies conducted in Tanzania [22], in Nigeria [41][42][43][44], in India [45], and in Ethiopia [46]. The study participants reported CHWs and nurses as their main sources of malaria-related information, which was a similar finding to a study conducted in Nigeria among school adolescents [42].…”

“…Regarding malaria prevention practices, less than half of the participants reported that their household own bed nets, around a third reported bed net usage, and nearly all of those who use a bed net, reported using the net between 3 to 6 times a week, or every night. The proportion of net utilization among adolescents in this study is lower compared to that indicated in studies conducted in Tanzania [22] and in Nigeria [50], but higher than the proportion reported in India [45], in other studies carried out in Nigeria [42,51], and in Kenya [52]. Every three years in Senegal, free Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) are distributed to the population through mass campaigns to achieve universal coverage of LLIN, as recommended by WHO [53].…”