Description:
Background
The prevalence of malaria among Sub-Saharan countries has been great accounting for high
mortality rate among pregnant women . Various policies have been enabled to decrease the
prevalence , thus included the use of insecticide treated nets among pregnant women thus
campaign in various countries on provision of free ITN has been implemented with still a low
decrease in the prevalence thus a need to assess the knowledge among pregnant women on use of
the ITN’s.
Methodology
A hospital based cross sectional study was done in KCMC hospital in ANC among pregnant
women. Simple sampling method was used and a total of 176 participants obtained were 100
participants enrolled and met the inclusion criteria and enrolled in the study. Questionnaires was
used to collect data of research. Data was analyzed with aid of computer using the SPSS
software. Frequency and percentages was used to summarize categorical data.
Results
A total 100 participants aged between 15 and 44 years participated in the study. It showed
majority 48.5% were secondary education. Seventy six representing 76% showed high aware of
use of ITNs .Forty nine participants representing 48.5% showed possession of treated nets in
their homes, 50.5% reported obtaining their knowledge from television.
Conclusion
The present study concludes that though the level of awareness concerning the use of ITNs b
pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at KCMC was high, the possession of nets and use
was goods showing low prevalence of malaria in Kilimanjaro. The public health implication is
that more work needs to be done by government and health workers in KCMC hospital to further
raise awareness through health education by using charts displayed on the wall, increase the
accessibility and affordability of ITNs through mass importation so as to motivate more pregnant
women to use them and finally to raise the level of formal education through compulsory.