Insights into Malaria: A Cross-sectional Survey on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in South-South Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Malaria is a public health concern deeply ingrained within local communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Local beliefs and practices play a critical role in defining the effectiveness of control measures. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding malaria in a rural community in South-South Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Ugun in South-South Nigeria. Data were collected from the participants using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and a P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: This study included 300 participants with a mean age of 51.6 ± 20.9 years. The results showed that 28.3% had good knowledge, 55.7% had a positive attitude, and 44.7% demonstrated good practices regarding malaria. Knowledge scores were associated with the education (P < 0.012) and occupation (P < 0.001) of participants, while attitude scores were associated with the occupation (P = 0.002) and marital status of participants (P < 0.001). Age, education, occupation, and marital status were associated with participants' practice scores (P < 0.001). Civil servants (OR = 4.97; 95% CI: 1.69 - 14.61; P = 0.004) and pensioners (OR = 7.26; 95% CI: 1.98-26.61; P = 0.003) had higher odds of having good knowledge of malaria than farmers. Married participants (OR = 5.02; 95% CI: 1.51 - 16.66; P = 0.008) and those with good knowledge (OR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.11 - 3.42; P = 0.021) had higher odds of exhibiting a positive attitude. Participants with primary (OR = 6.21; 95% CI: 2.59 - 14.86; P < 0.001) and secondary (OR = 12.04; 95% CI: 3.89 - 37.31); P < 0.001) education had higher odds of adopting good practices than those with informal education. Conclusion: Although more than half of the participants had a positive attitude towards malaria, the majority showed insufficient knowledge and poor practices related to the disease. This highlights the pressing need for targeted public health educational programs to improve community understanding and promote effective practices for malaria control.