The Assessment of Community Knowledge and Prevention Practices of Malaria in a Rural Community in South Africa

Abstract

Background: Malaria is a serious public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa and affects the health and wealth of nations and of individuals. Malaria became a public health issue killing more than 627 000 people in sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa, Malaria is endemic in 3 provinces namely: Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Kwazulu Natal. Limpopo contributes more cases than the other provinces in the country. Objective: The study assessed the knowledge and preventive practices regarding malaria in a rural community in South Africa. Methodology: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using systematic probability sampling to select 151 household members. All the households in each village were visited and the head of each household was interviewed. Data was collected through close-ended questionnaires and analysed through the Statistical Package for Social Science version 24. The analysed data is presented in tables, graphs, and percentages. Results: The findings revealed that most participants 103(67.8%) have secondary education, and all (100%) had heard about malaria. The main source of malaria information was nurses 48%. Most participants knew that malaria is transmitted through mosquito bites (86%) by an infected mosquito (77%.%). About 63% of the participants knew the basic signs of malaria such as headache, shivering, and high fever. About 59 (39%) said they used mosquito coils and wore long-sleeved clothes in their household to avoid mosquito bites. Conclusion: Malaria poses a threat to the lives of people living in malaria-endemic areas. Community members of Masisi Village know how malaria is transmitted, what causes it, and its signs and symptoms. However, malaria prevention practice is still cited as a public health challenge. Therefore, health education should emphasize methods of malaria prevention and control.