1 Department of Community Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Surgery, Urology unit, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.
3 Department of Anatomic Pathology, Abia State University, Teaching Hospital, Aba, Abia State, Nigeria.
4 Department of Pediatrics, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria.
5 Department of Public Health, Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria.
Research Article
Magna Scientia Advanced Biology and Pharmacy, 2023, 10(01), 025–036
Article DOI: 10.30574/msabp.2023.10.1.0063
Received on 31 August 2023; revised on 08 October 2023; accepted on 11 October 2023
Background: In Nigeria, pregnant mothers and under-five children are the vulnerable who are most at risk of malarial infections. Despite the presence of numerous accessible health facilities, the community-based home management of childhood fevers remains a very common practice in the country.
Objectives: To evaluate knowledge on home management of malaria in under-fives among mothers and caregivers in Bende LGA, Abia State, Nigeria.
Methods and materials: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 375 heads of household Bende LGA. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from participants and was self-administered. Data were cleaned and coded into SPSS version 26 for analysis. Numerical variables were summarized using mean and standard deviation, categorical variables were summarized using frequency and proportions. Chi-Square test was used to test association, p<0.05.
Results: A total of 375 household heads with a response rate of 360 (96.0%) participated in the study with a mean age of 37.2 ± 0.8724, A good number of the participants 136 (37.8%) were in the age range of 35 – 39 years. Majority of them 310 (86.0%) were married. Majority of them 204 (56.6%) had secondary education. One hundred and fifty-eight (43.8%) of them responded that mosquito bite was the cause of malaria. Prevalence of home management of malaria was 117(32.4%) and overall knowledge level of mothers and caregivers was 202 (56.1%). There association between age range, marital status and level of education was statistically significant, p<0.05.
Conclusion: There were several gaps in the participants’ level of knowledge relating to home management of under-five children, however, overall knowledge level of mothers and caregivers was 202 (56.1%) and prevalence of home management was low as majority of the under-fives were taken to the hospital for their management.
Evaluation; Knowledge; Home management; Malaria; Under-fives; Mothers and caregivers; Bende; Abia State; Nigeria
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Prince Ezenwa Ndubueze Onyemachi, Ibe Ukariwe Ibe, Franklin Emenike Igwe, Amarachukwu Faith Okafor, Udo Mark, Rosemary Ichita Elekeh and Obinna Prince Onyemachi. Evaluation of knowledge on home management of malaria in under-fives among mothers and caregivers in Bende Local Government Area (LGA), Abia State, Nigeria. Magna Scientia Advanced Biology and Pharmacy, 2023, 10(1), 025-036. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/msabp.2023.10.1.0063