Knowledge And Utilization Of Malaria Preventive Measures Among Mothers With Children 0-5 Years

Approximately, out of 3.4 billion people worldwide who are exposed to malaria annually, 1.2 billion are mainly children 0-5 years, and pregnant women. (WHO,2013). Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality is responsible for up to 40% of all outpatient visits, 25% of all hospital admissions and 14% of all hospital deaths. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study employed simple random sampling technique to select mothers and care takers of under-five years children as participants in the study to recruit 67 respondents from whom data was collected using a structured questionnaire.

The results indicated that; majority of mothers and care takers were aged 20-30 years (50.7%), biological parents (86.4%). With low levels of education (with 66.6% primary level, and 22.3% none at all), peasants (80.5%). Majority (95.5%) had ever heard about malaria in under five years children; mothers knew fever (89.5%), vomiting (74.6%) and diarrhea (67.1%) as signs of malaria. 

Mothers lacked knowledge on vulnerable age group (<5years children). Majority (80.5%) were confident to use malaria prevention and control measures, where (83.5%) strongly agreed that sleeping under ITNs prevents malaria in <5, and (64.1%) strongly agreed that chemical spraying prevents malaria in under five. Whereas there were misconceptions in (67.1%) of mothers that contaminated food cause malaria, (38.8%) that immunization prevents malaria. Majority (59.7%) slashed near homes to prevent malaria in under five; only (46.2%) slept their < 5 children under ITNs. Mothers (62.6%) go to health unit for treatment of malaria in <5, however, majority (35.8%) seek health care late by 13-18 hours.

The study concluded that, Mothers had knowledge on malaria prevention; they knew symptoms of simple malaria like fever, but lacked knowledge on signs of severe and complicated malaria like jaundice, parlor, organomegaly and convulsions.