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Malaria Treatment Seeking Behaviour among Pregnant Women in Ondo, Nigeria

Olafusi Oluwatosin S, Ajayi Ikeoluwapo

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 pregnant women in 44 health institutions in Ondo, who have presented with signs and symptoms of malaria. A set of interviewer-administered, semistructured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, reporting practices, and major influencing factors of treatment seeking behaviours for the study. Knowledge of malaria was assessed on a scale of 100 points with score ≥ 75 as high-level knowledge while score of 50-74 as average knowledge. Descriptive statistics (frequencies) were used to tabulate and describe the data. For inferential statistics, logistic regression was used at 5% level of significance. The mean age of the respondents was 22 ± 1.1. One hundred and eighty-three (76.3%) had high knowledge of malaria transmission, symptoms, and prevention, despite this; only 100 (41.7%) sought early malaria treatment. Pregnant women with high level of malaria knowledge were 4.55 times more likely than those with average knowledge to seek for early malaria treatment (OR=4.55, C.I=2.17-9.55). Those with no formal education were 99.7% less likely than those with post tertiary education to seek early malaria treatment (OR=0.003, C.I=0.00- 0.07). Also, those who have only primary education were 96% less likely than those with post tertiary education to seek for early malaria treatment (OR=0.04, C.I=0.05-0.30). The pregnant women within age group of 18-24 years were 82% less likely than those of 35 years and above to seek for early malaria treatment (OR=0.18, C.I=0.04- 0.84). Pregnant women who made health centres/clinic as their first point of seeking treatment were 44.2 times more likely than those who use local herb to seek for early malaria treatment (OR=44.2, C.I=11.6- 55.4). In conclusion, whereas the knowledge of pregnant women about malaria cause, transmission, signs and symptom was good, most of the pregnant women still sought late for malaria treatment. It was noticed from the result that level of education, age, religion, level of knowledge and first place of seeking treatment, have significant relationships with treatment seeking behavior. Therefore, it is recommended to improve the dissemination of appropriate information on malaria in Ondo Metropolis through active education campaigns to encourage early treatment seeking behaviour and utilization of health centres especially among younger women and uneducated pregnant women in Ondo Metropolis.