An Integrated Approach to Malaria Prevention and Control in Rural Cameroon

• Main Author: Azunie, Naomi Chuiwo
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2017
• Subjects: Public Health Education and Promotion
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3971; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5074&context=dissertations

Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease spread to humans through bites of an infected mosquito. In rural Cameroon, malaria is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Several studies have examined the use of various malaria preventive tools; however, there is insufficient literature available on use of an integrated approach to prevent and control malaria in rural Cameroon. The aim of this study was to provide information necessary for bridging the gap in understanding the proper use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) and antimalarial drugs and the roles of education and socioeconomic status in malaria prevention and control efforts in rural Cameroon. This quantitative cross-sectional study was guided by the socioecological framework. Secondary data from the 2011 Cameroon Demographic and Health Survey (sample size of 216) was used in this study. The Chi-Square, binary logistic, and multinomial logistic regressions were used to analyze the data. The result revealed that there was a significant association (p < 0.05) between proper use of ITNs and malaria prevalence among children under 5 years old, education and proper use of antimalarial drugs, and socioeconomic status and health seeking behavior. There was also a significant association between healthcare preference and malaria treatment outcomes among children under 5 and pregnant women. These findings may contribute to social change by helping public health officials in Cameron to continue to prioritize local needs and enforce the proper use of available malaria tools in rural communities through an integrated approach to prevent and control malaria in rural Cameroon, especially for children under 5 years old and pregnant women, which would lead to improved quality of life.