Exploring health providers’ and community perceptions and experiences with malaria tests in South-East Nigeria: a critical step towards appropriate treatment

Malaria Journal

Research

Virginia Wiseman¹  Clare CI Chandler¹  Lindsay J Mangham-Jefferies¹  Nkoli N Ezumah²  Ogochukwu P Ezeoke³  Benjamin S Uzochukwu⁴  Obinna E Onwujekwe⁵ 

[1] Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK;Department of Sociology/Anthropology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria;Health Policy Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria;Health Policy Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria;Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Nsukka, Nigeria;Health Policy Research Group, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu, Nigeria;Department of Health Administration and Management, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Nsukka, Nigeria;

关键词: Malaria;    Community Member;    Health Provider;    Malaria Treatment;    Artemisinin Combination Therapy;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1475-2875-11-368

 received in 2012-08-08, accepted in 2012-11-02,  发布年份 2012

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe adoption of ACT as the first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Nigeria has concentrated attention on the role of testing in appropriate malaria treatment. There are calls at both national and global level for malaria treatment to be based on test result, but it is still unclear how testing can be incorporated into treatment-seeking and practices of health providers. This study explored community members and health providers’ perceptions and experiences with malaria tests in south east Nigeria.MethodsThe study was conducted in urban and rural areas of Enugu state in south-eastern Nigeria. A total of 18 focus group discussions with 179 community members including sub-groups of primary caregivers, adult men and adult women aged 15 years and above. Twenty- six (26) In-depth interviews were held with public and private health providers involved in prescribing medicines at public and private health facilities in the study area.ResultsBoth providers and community members were familiar with malaria tests and identified malaria tests as an important step to distinguish malaria from other illnesses with similar symptoms and as a means of delivering appropriate treatment. However, the logic of test-directed treatment was undermined by cost of test and a lack of testing facilities but above all concerns over the reliability of negative test results, with community members and providers observing inconsistencies between results and symptoms, and providers attributing inaccurate results to incompetencies of technicians. Recognition of malaria symptoms was deemed most important in determining the use of antimalarial drugs rather than the result of a malaria test.ConclusionThe results highlight important areas of intervention to promote appropriate malaria treatment. If tests are to play a role in patient management, demand and supply side interventions are needed to change people’s attitude towards malaria test results.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Ezeoke et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2012