Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, Ghana

Background. Malaria is no doubt a burden on both the financial and human resources of Ghana. In this study, we examined the awareness of malaria prevention practices among indigenes of Godokpe, a rural community in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional survey that u...

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Main Authors: Kennedy Diema Konlan, Hubert Amu, Kennedy Dodam Konlan, Milipaak Japiong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9365823
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author Kennedy Diema Konlan
Hubert Amu
Kennedy Dodam Konlan
Milipaak Japiong
author_facet Kennedy Diema Konlan
Hubert Amu
Kennedy Dodam Konlan
Milipaak Japiong
author_sort Kennedy Diema Konlan
collection DOAJ
description Background. Malaria is no doubt a burden on both the financial and human resources of Ghana. In this study, we examined the awareness of malaria prevention practices among indigenes of Godokpe, a rural community in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional survey that used a self-developed questionnaire recruited 246 residents of Godokpe who were aged 18 years and above using a systematic sampling technique. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data into descriptive and analytical statistics. The descriptive statistics comprised frequency, percentage, and means. Also, analytical statistics of cross tabulation was conducted considering a p<0.05 at a 95% Confidence Interval to be statistically significant. Findings. About 54% and 20% of the respondents, respectively, had satisfactory and good levels of knowledge on malaria prevention. The methods used in malaria prevention included mosquito coils (72%), cleaning and prevention of water stagnation (62%), mosquito spray (54%), and mosquito net (59%). Also, malaria treatment methods mostly used were quinine (70%) and chloroquine (50.4%). The major sources of information on malaria were television (74%), health professionals (66%), schools (62%), family/friends (60%), and the Internet (51%). Conclusion. School children showed good understanding of malaria and its vectors. There is, therefore, the need to increase the empowerment of teachers with appropriate health information including malaria so that they can continue to deliver malaria information to the pupils.
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series Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases
spelling doaj-art-15e5f741ef4e4afd9e68fe51d187a28e2025-08-20T03:54:25ZengWileyInterdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases1687-708X1687-70982019-01-01201910.1155/2019/93658239365823Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, GhanaKennedy Diema Konlan0Hubert Amu1Kennedy Dodam Konlan2Milipaak Japiong3Department of Public Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Population and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Hohoe, GhanaDepartment of Nursing, West End University College, GhanaDepartment of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, GhanaBackground. Malaria is no doubt a burden on both the financial and human resources of Ghana. In this study, we examined the awareness of malaria prevention practices among indigenes of Godokpe, a rural community in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional survey that used a self-developed questionnaire recruited 246 residents of Godokpe who were aged 18 years and above using a systematic sampling technique. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data into descriptive and analytical statistics. The descriptive statistics comprised frequency, percentage, and means. Also, analytical statistics of cross tabulation was conducted considering a p<0.05 at a 95% Confidence Interval to be statistically significant. Findings. About 54% and 20% of the respondents, respectively, had satisfactory and good levels of knowledge on malaria prevention. The methods used in malaria prevention included mosquito coils (72%), cleaning and prevention of water stagnation (62%), mosquito spray (54%), and mosquito net (59%). Also, malaria treatment methods mostly used were quinine (70%) and chloroquine (50.4%). The major sources of information on malaria were television (74%), health professionals (66%), schools (62%), family/friends (60%), and the Internet (51%). Conclusion. School children showed good understanding of malaria and its vectors. There is, therefore, the need to increase the empowerment of teachers with appropriate health information including malaria so that they can continue to deliver malaria information to the pupils.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9365823
spellingShingle Kennedy Diema Konlan
Hubert Amu
Kennedy Dodam Konlan
Milipaak Japiong
Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, Ghana
Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases
title Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, Ghana
title_full Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, Ghana
title_fullStr Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, Ghana
title_short Awareness and Malaria Prevention Practices in a Rural Community in the Ho Municipality, Ghana
title_sort awareness and malaria prevention practices in a rural community in the ho municipality ghana
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/9365823
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