This preprint is under consideration at Malaria Journal. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Raymond Saa-Eru Maalman
University of Health and Allied Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6939-8198
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Malaria is a preventable disease that causes huge morbidity and mortality in malaria-endemic areas especially among children and pregnant women. The malaria control program focuses on the prevention of mosquito bites using Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) and mosquito aerosol spray and coil, and prevention of severe disease among those infected through prompt and adequate treatment. The success of the malaria control program in Ghana is dependent on the malaria prevention practices of people in the community. Therefore, this study evaluated the malaria prevention practices of participants in four districts of the Volta Region of Ghana.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Ketu South, Nkwanta South, Hohoe Municipality and Ho West districts of the Volta Region of Ghana. Questionnaire were administered to adults who consented to each household visited. Questions were asked on the socio-demographics and malaria prevention practices of the households. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23 with frequency distribution done for all the variables. Pearson chi-square was used to determine the significant association between socio-demographics and malaria prevention practices, and logistic regression was used to analyze the strength of the association.
Result: Of the 668 participants that had a fever within the past 3 days, 268 (40.1%) visited a patent medicine store and 156(23.4%) visited health facilities. Out of the 2493 participants; 2234 (89.6%) owned ITN and 1528 (68.4%) used ITN a night before this study, 768(30.8%) used mosquito aerosol spray and 368 (15%) used mosquito coil. More females significantly owned ITN than males (1293, 92.4%, p ≤0.001). Participants from Ketu South had 1.5 times higher odds of owning an ITN (AOR, 1.56 [95% 1.09-2.22]; p=0.01).
Conclusion: There is high ownership of ITNs but relatively low utilization among the community members. Education on malaria prevention practices should be intensified and continuous among the population of the Volta Region to ensure the success of malaria control in the region.
Keywords
Malaria, Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), Malaria Prevention, Control, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana
Figure 1
Figure 2
Loading...
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 17 Mar, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Mar, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Mar, 2021
Editor invited
On 09 Mar, 2021
Editor assigned
On 08 Mar, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 08 Mar, 2021
First submitted
On 08 Mar, 2021
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Infectious Diseases
Learn more about our company.
This preprint is under consideration at Malaria Journal. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Raymond Saa-Eru Maalman
University of Health and Allied Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6939-8198
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 17 Mar, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Mar, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Mar, 2021
Editor invited
On 09 Mar, 2021
Editor assigned
On 08 Mar, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 08 Mar, 2021
First submitted
On 08 Mar, 2021
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Infectious Diseases
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: Malaria is a preventable disease that causes huge morbidity and mortality in malaria-endemic areas especially among children and pregnant women. The malaria control program focuses on the prevention of mosquito bites using Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) and mosquito aerosol spray and coil, and prevention of severe disease among those infected through prompt and adequate treatment. The success of the malaria control program in Ghana is dependent on the malaria prevention practices of people in the community. Therefore, this study evaluated the malaria prevention practices of participants in four districts of the Volta Region of Ghana.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Ketu South, Nkwanta South, Hohoe Municipality and Ho West districts of the Volta Region of Ghana. Questionnaire were administered to adults who consented to each household visited. Questions were asked on the socio-demographics and malaria prevention practices of the households. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23 with frequency distribution done for all the variables. Pearson chi-square was used to determine the significant association between socio-demographics and malaria prevention practices, and logistic regression was used to analyze the strength of the association.
Result: Of the 668 participants that had a fever within the past 3 days, 268 (40.1%) visited a patent medicine store and 156(23.4%) visited health facilities. Out of the 2493 participants; 2234 (89.6%) owned ITN and 1528 (68.4%) used ITN a night before this study, 768(30.8%) used mosquito aerosol spray and 368 (15%) used mosquito coil. More females significantly owned ITN than males (1293, 92.4%, p ≤0.001). Participants from Ketu South had 1.5 times higher odds of owning an ITN (AOR, 1.56 [95% 1.09-2.22]; p=0.01).
Conclusion: There is high ownership of ITNs but relatively low utilization among the community members. Education on malaria prevention practices should be intensified and continuous among the population of the Volta Region to ensure the success of malaria control in the region.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Loading...