KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTIONS OF RESIDENTS OF A SLUM AREA OF LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA ON MALARIA

Aman-Oloniyo, Abimbola

INTRODUCTION: One-fourth of malaria morbidity in sub-saharan Africa occurs in Nigeria. It accounts for about 63% of visits to public health facilities, 30% of hospital admissions, 29% of childhood death, 25% of infant mortality and 11% of maternal mortality. It is responsible for 70% of outpatient attendance at the secondary healthcare facilities and over 80% of all tracer diseases reported by primary healthcare facilities in Lagos State.

METHODS: We administered structured questionnaires to 423 residents of Makoko slum area of Lagos, to collect demographics, assess their knowledge about malaria & attitudes that aid the spread, knowledge concerning Malaria Home management and Malaria health seeking behaviours.

RESULTS: Sixty-nine percent (69.3%) were females, 18.4% of who were pregnant. 48.2% of respondents have children < 5 years old. Number of children <5years in the households ranged from 1 to 6.

Fifty four percent (54%) have at least 1 attack of malaria annually, 37.9% have 2-3 attacks annually. 74.2% had had malaria within the year, 96.5% of who treated it. Of these, 58.2% used paracetamol, 42.3% local herbs, 21.7% chloroquine. Only 10.2% used (the Government recommended) Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACTs); 66.5% of those that had malaria were self diagnosed while 23.4% went to hospital; 75.3% do not sleep under nets; 83.7% believe that malaria can be prevented & 82.2% know malaria has vectors.

Children < 5years old have high rate of malaria attacks (47% have malaria at least once a year, 43.7% have 2-3 times), yet knowledge of home management of malaria in children is quite low. Most (54.9%) take their children to hospital for malaria; 26.5% would administer paracetamol, 16.7% would tepid sponge. Only 3.4% would administer ACTs.

CONCLUSIONS: All malaria control strategies including education should be intensified. Efforts should be directed at improving intervention strategies for those at greatest risk; pregnant women and children <5 years.