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Knowledge, attitude and practice towards malaria among symptomatic patients attending Tumbi Referral Hospital: A cross-sectional study

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dc.creator Nyundo, Azan A.
dc.creator Mpondo, Bonaventura C.
dc.creator Munisi, David Zadock
dc.date 2020-03-19T08:22:54Z
dc.date 2020-03-19T08:22:54Z
dc.date 2019
dc.date.accessioned 2022-10-20T14:01:35Z
dc.date.available 2022-10-20T14:01:35Z
dc.identifier Munisi, D. Z., Nyundo, A. A., & Mpondo, B. C. (2019). Knowledge, attitude and practice towards malaria among symptomatic patients attending Tumbi Referral Hospital: A cross-sectional study. PloS one, 14(8).
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12661/2196
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12661/2196
dc.description Full Text Article. Also available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6681959/
dc.description Background: Despite significant improvement in prevention and control over the past decades malaria remains a significant public health concern in Tanzania with 93% of the population being at risk. To prevent malaria infection and promote malaria free zones, understanding the community’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward malaria control are essential. This study therefore aimed at determining the levels of understanding, and attitudes, as well as socio-cultural aspects of malaria prevention and treatment-seeking behaviors among suspected malaria patients. Methods: This study was a hospital based cross-sectional study, in which patients attending Tumbi Referral Hospital with symptoms and signs that warrant inclusion of suspicion of malaria, were recruited. We used a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire to collect participants’ demographic characteristics, as well as information on their knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards malaria infection. Data were analyzed using Stata Version 12.1. Results: We enrolled a total of 295 respondents of which 179 (60.68%) were females. Participants’ ages ranged from 1–91 years, with a mean of 31.4 years. Seventy-nine (26.8%) patients reported having malaria in the previous 28 days, with 57 (72.2%) being laboratory confirmed. Only 52 (65.8%) individuals reported taking prescribed medications for malaria. A total of 277 (93.90%) were aware of malaria, and 264 (95.31%) knew that it is transmitted by mosquito. Nearly all participants (263, 94.95%), identified sleeping under bed nets to be protective against malaria. About half of the respondents either agreed 63 (22.74%) or strongly agreed 62 (22.38%) that malaria can be transmitted like the common cold. Self-reported mosquito net use was 88.09% (244). Conclusion: Despite the endemicity of malaria in our study site, patients had adequate knowledge, encouraging attitudes, and good practices related to malaria prevention and control.
dc.language en
dc.publisher Plos One
dc.subject Public health
dc.subject Malaria
dc.subject Malaria infection
dc.subject Malaria control
dc.subject Malaria prevention
dc.subject Malaria treatment
dc.subject Malaria patients
dc.title Knowledge, attitude and practice towards malaria among symptomatic patients attending Tumbi Referral Hospital: A cross-sectional study
dc.type Article


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