Knowledge and awareness of malaria and mosquito biting behaviour in selected sites within Morogoro and Dodoma regions Tanzania

Malaria Journal

Research

Richard S. Silayo¹  Sharadhuli I. Kimera¹  Mary M. Mathania² 

[1] Sokoine University of Agriculture, PO BOX 3019, Morogoro, Tanzania;Sokoine University of Agriculture, PO BOX 3019, Morogoro, Tanzania;St. John’s University of Tanzania, PO BOX 40, Dodoma, Tanzania;

关键词: Malaria;    Anopheles;    Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs);    Tanzania;    Awareness;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12936-016-1332-4

 received in 2015-11-26, accepted in 2016-05-10,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIn Tanzania there has been a downward trend in malaria prevalence partly due to use of insecticide-treated bed nets for protection against Anopheles mosquitoes. However, residual malaria transmission attributed to early biting behaviour of malaria vectors is being reported. Knowledge of mosquito feeding behaviour is key to improvements in control approaches. The present study aimed to assess knowledge and awareness on malaria and malaria vectors in—Morogoro and Dodoma regions of Tanzania.MethodsA cross sectional study was undertaken in selected sites in Morogoro and Dodoma Tanzania. A structured questionnaire was administered to 218 randomly selected households from each of which the head or second in/charge and the most senior primary school child were interviewed.ResultsA total of 400 participants of whom 56 % were females, were recruited into the study. Their ages ranged between nine and 58 years. Among the participants, 70.7 % had primary school education and the rest attained secondary school (16.8 %), university/college (4.0 %) and not attended school at all (8.5 %). Fifteen per cent of the participants were employed, while 45.5 % were self-employed and 39.5 % were studying. Overall, 58.5 % of respondents were knowledgeable of malaria and its vector. However, 78.8 % were not aware that early mosquito bites can transmit malaria and 86.5 % said that only midnight-biting mosquito bite was responsible for malaria transmission. The majority (66 %) of respondents visited a health facility on observing malaria symptoms while 15.8 % took anti-malaria drugs without medical consultation.ConclusionThis study has shown that Anopheles is well known as the night-biting vector of malaria. The majority of participants were not aware of changed biting behaviour of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes and that early outdoor mosquito bite is a risk of malaria transmission. School children have shown a better understanding of malaria and its vector. Therefore, more awareness of Anopheles feeding behaviour is needed.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016