HEALTH EDUCATION AND CAREGIVERS’ MANAGEMENT OF MALARIA AMONG UNDER FIVES IN EDE NORTH L.G.A., OSUN STATE OF NIGERIA

HEALTH EDUCATION AND CAREGIVERS’ MANAGEMENT OF MALARIA AMONG UNDER FIVES IN EDE NORTH L.G.A., OSUN STATE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

This study determined the effect of comprehensive health education programme on the home management of malaria in under fives by the caregivers in Ede North Local Government Area, Osun State, in Nigeria.
The study design was a quasi-experimental before and after study, which was carried out in three stages. There were two groups- the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the comprehensive health education while the control group did not receive such education. Samples were selected by multistage random sampling technique in the North and South axis of the local government. The two groups were interviewed using a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire before and after the study.
Results revealed that the respondents had good knowledge of how malaria was transmitted- 75.8% in the experimental group and 73.3% in the control group. Their knowledge about the indirect causes of malaria was poor- 39.2% in experimental group and 41.7% in control group. Knowledge scores on signs and symptoms of malaria were fair as 73.3% in experimental group and 83.3% in control group were able to mention between three and four signs of malaria fever in children. However, the respondents had poor knowledge of prevention of malaria.
Although the level of awareness of insecticide treated net (ITN) was fair, 60.8% and 47.5% in experimental and control groups respectively, majority of the respondents in the two groups did not know when to re-treat the ITNs.
10
As regards treatment practices, the respondents in both groups used both modern and traditional methods. The most frequently used modern drug was chloroquine, but they had poor knowledge of the dose and duration of its treatment regimen as only 15.3% in the experimental group and 23.7% in the control group got the correct dose prior to intervention.
A good percentage of respondents 70.8% and 50.8% in experimental and control groups respectively claimed to treat malaria usually on the first day of illness while drugs were usually purchased from public health center, which served as the main source. Most mothers made use of health facilities as soon as the illness started or when outside help was needed since majority of them lived within a kilometer distance to the nearest health center. All these observations were made before intervention. After the health education intervention, the experimental group became (a) more knowledgeable about the direct and indirect causes of malaria (b) more knowledgeable about signs and symptoms and prevention of malaria (c) more aware of ITN and its treatment (d) more knowledgeable about the dose and regimen of chloroquine drug and (e) had a better attitude towards the management of malaria.
All these improvements measured in terms of degree of change, were found to be statistically significant in relation to the health education intervention programme. This type of training should be extended to other groups in the local government, such as patent medicine vendors, village health workers and hospital staffs.

HEALTH EDUCATION AND CAREGIVERS’ MANAGEMENT OF MALARIA AMONG UNDER FIVES IN EDE NORTH L.G.A., OSUN STATE OF NIGERIA