Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, India
Background & objectives: Evidence on the community knowledge and perceptions on malaria are crucial todesign appropriate health communication strategies for malaria control. Orissa, an Indian state with a largeproportion of indigenous populations and hilly terrains contributes to the highest mal...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2011-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Vector Borne Diseases |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mrcindia.org/journal/issues/481046.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819143588047486976 |
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| author | Ashis Das & T.K. Sundari Ravindran |
| author_facet | Ashis Das & T.K. Sundari Ravindran |
| author_sort | Ashis Das & T.K. Sundari Ravindran |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background & objectives: Evidence on the community knowledge and perceptions on malaria are crucial todesign appropriate health communication strategies for malaria control. Orissa, an Indian state with a largeproportion of indigenous populations and hilly terrains contributes to the highest malaria burden in India. Astudy was undertaken to assess the knowledge on malaria among community members who had experiencedfever and chills in the endemic district of Boudh in Orissa.Methods: A cross-sectional community-based survey was carried out with respondents (n=300) who had feverwith chills within two weeks prior to data collection through a multi-stage sampling and interviewed themusing a pre-tested, structured interview schedule.Results : About 90% of respondents recognized fever as a common symptom of malaria, 72.3% said mosquitobites cause malaria, 70.3% of respondents reported mosquito control and personal protection to be the methodof malaria prevention, and 24.6% identified chloroquine as the drug used for treatment. Women and scheduledtribe (ST) respondents were found to have lower level of appropriate knowledge of causes, symptoms, andprevention methods of malaria than their counterparts.Interpretation & conclusion: The study population had a fair knowledge of malaria about the causes, symptoms,treatment, modes of prevention and outcomes of non-treatment compared to most of the studies conducted insimilar settings. However, the relatively low awareness among women and tribal population calls for morecontext specific communication strategies. Such strategies should be based on information needs assessment ofdifferent population subgroups, especially of women and members of the ST community, using media that isaccessible and clearly understood by different groups. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:28:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b860399f5d224bdc95e11069bb91bade |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0972-9062 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T12:28:37Z |
| publishDate | 2011-03-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Vector Borne Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-b860399f5d224bdc95e11069bb91bade2022-12-21T18:25:42ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Vector Borne Diseases0972-90622011-03-014814651Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, IndiaAshis Das & T.K. Sundari RavindranBackground & objectives: Evidence on the community knowledge and perceptions on malaria are crucial todesign appropriate health communication strategies for malaria control. Orissa, an Indian state with a largeproportion of indigenous populations and hilly terrains contributes to the highest malaria burden in India. Astudy was undertaken to assess the knowledge on malaria among community members who had experiencedfever and chills in the endemic district of Boudh in Orissa.Methods: A cross-sectional community-based survey was carried out with respondents (n=300) who had feverwith chills within two weeks prior to data collection through a multi-stage sampling and interviewed themusing a pre-tested, structured interview schedule.Results : About 90% of respondents recognized fever as a common symptom of malaria, 72.3% said mosquitobites cause malaria, 70.3% of respondents reported mosquito control and personal protection to be the methodof malaria prevention, and 24.6% identified chloroquine as the drug used for treatment. Women and scheduledtribe (ST) respondents were found to have lower level of appropriate knowledge of causes, symptoms, andprevention methods of malaria than their counterparts.Interpretation & conclusion: The study population had a fair knowledge of malaria about the causes, symptoms,treatment, modes of prevention and outcomes of non-treatment compared to most of the studies conducted insimilar settings. However, the relatively low awareness among women and tribal population calls for morecontext specific communication strategies. Such strategies should be based on information needs assessment ofdifferent population subgroups, especially of women and members of the ST community, using media that isaccessible and clearly understood by different groups.http://www.mrcindia.org/journal/issues/481046.pdfCommunity knowledgefebrile patientsmalariaOrissa |
| spellingShingle | Ashis Das & T.K. Sundari Ravindran Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, India Journal of Vector Borne Diseases Community knowledge febrile patients malaria Orissa |
| title | Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, India |
| title_full | Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, India |
| title_fullStr | Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, India |
| title_short | Community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of Orissa, India |
| title_sort | community knowledge on malaria among febrile patients in an endemic district of orissa india |
| topic | Community knowledge febrile patients malaria Orissa |
| url | http://www.mrcindia.org/journal/issues/481046.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ashisdastksundariravindran communityknowledgeonmalariaamongfebrilepatientsinanendemicdistrictoforissaindia |