Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern Tanzania
Abstract Background Strengthening malaria control activities in Tanzania has dramatically declined human malaria infections. However, there is an increasing epidemiological shift in the burden on school-age children. The underlying causes for such an epidemiological shift remain unknown in this cont...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Malaria Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04703-2 |
| _version_ | 1797578059145019392 |
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| author | Fadhila Kihwele Tegemeo Gavana Christina Makungu Hajirani M. Msuya Yeromin P. Mlacha Nicodem James Govella Prosper Pius Chaki Bruno Fokas Sunguya |
| author_facet | Fadhila Kihwele Tegemeo Gavana Christina Makungu Hajirani M. Msuya Yeromin P. Mlacha Nicodem James Govella Prosper Pius Chaki Bruno Fokas Sunguya |
| author_sort | Fadhila Kihwele |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Strengthening malaria control activities in Tanzania has dramatically declined human malaria infections. However, there is an increasing epidemiological shift in the burden on school-age children. The underlying causes for such an epidemiological shift remain unknown in this context. This study explored activities and behaviours that could increase the vulnerability of school-age children to transmission risk to provide insight into protection gap with existing interventions and opportunities for supplementary interventions. Methods This cross-sectional study conducted twenty-four focus group discussions (FGDs) in three districts of Rufiji, Kibiti and Kilwa in south-eastern Tanzania. Sixteen FGDs worked with school-age children (13 to 18 years) separating girls and boys and eight FGDs with their parents in mixed-gender groups. A total of 205 community members participated in FGDs across the study area. Of them, 72 participants were parents, while 133 were school-age children (65 boys and 68 girls). Results Routine domestic activities such as fetching water, washing kitchen utensils, cooking, and recreational activities such as playing and watching television and studying were the reported activities that kept school-age children outdoors early evening to night hours (between 18:00 and 23:00). Likewise, the social and cultural events including initiation ceremonies and livelihood activities also kept this age group outdoors from late evening to early night and sometimes past midnight hours. Parents migrating to farms from December to June, leaving behind school-age children unsupervised affecting their net use behaviour plus spending more time outdoors at night, and the behaviour of children sprawling legs and hands while sleeping inside treated bed nets were identified as potential risks to infectious mosquito bites. Conclusion The risky activities, behaviours, and social events mostly occurring outdoors might increase school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections. The findings provide preliminary insight on potential risk factors for persisting transmission. Further studies to quantify the risk behaviour and activities are recommended to establish the magnitude and anticipated impact on supplementary control strategies to control infection in school-age children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:16:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eafdc671f63441fdbb565ed5047a32f4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:16:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-eafdc671f63441fdbb565ed5047a32f42023-11-19T12:26:04ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752023-10-0122111110.1186/s12936-023-04703-2Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern TanzaniaFadhila Kihwele0Tegemeo Gavana1Christina Makungu2Hajirani M. Msuya3Yeromin P. Mlacha4Nicodem James Govella5Prosper Pius Chaki6Bruno Fokas Sunguya7Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences DepartmentEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences DepartmentEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences DepartmentEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences DepartmentEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences DepartmentEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences DepartmentEnvironmental Health and Ecological Sciences DepartmentMuhimbili University of Health and Allied SciencesAbstract Background Strengthening malaria control activities in Tanzania has dramatically declined human malaria infections. However, there is an increasing epidemiological shift in the burden on school-age children. The underlying causes for such an epidemiological shift remain unknown in this context. This study explored activities and behaviours that could increase the vulnerability of school-age children to transmission risk to provide insight into protection gap with existing interventions and opportunities for supplementary interventions. Methods This cross-sectional study conducted twenty-four focus group discussions (FGDs) in three districts of Rufiji, Kibiti and Kilwa in south-eastern Tanzania. Sixteen FGDs worked with school-age children (13 to 18 years) separating girls and boys and eight FGDs with their parents in mixed-gender groups. A total of 205 community members participated in FGDs across the study area. Of them, 72 participants were parents, while 133 were school-age children (65 boys and 68 girls). Results Routine domestic activities such as fetching water, washing kitchen utensils, cooking, and recreational activities such as playing and watching television and studying were the reported activities that kept school-age children outdoors early evening to night hours (between 18:00 and 23:00). Likewise, the social and cultural events including initiation ceremonies and livelihood activities also kept this age group outdoors from late evening to early night and sometimes past midnight hours. Parents migrating to farms from December to June, leaving behind school-age children unsupervised affecting their net use behaviour plus spending more time outdoors at night, and the behaviour of children sprawling legs and hands while sleeping inside treated bed nets were identified as potential risks to infectious mosquito bites. Conclusion The risky activities, behaviours, and social events mostly occurring outdoors might increase school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections. The findings provide preliminary insight on potential risk factors for persisting transmission. Further studies to quantify the risk behaviour and activities are recommended to establish the magnitude and anticipated impact on supplementary control strategies to control infection in school-age children.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04703-2MalariaDisease reservoirSchool-age childrenFocus Group DiscussionHuman behaviorOutdoor malaria transmission |
| spellingShingle | Fadhila Kihwele Tegemeo Gavana Christina Makungu Hajirani M. Msuya Yeromin P. Mlacha Nicodem James Govella Prosper Pius Chaki Bruno Fokas Sunguya Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern Tanzania Malaria Journal Malaria Disease reservoir School-age children Focus Group Discussion Human behavior Outdoor malaria transmission |
| title | Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern Tanzania |
| title_full | Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern Tanzania |
| title_fullStr | Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern Tanzania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern Tanzania |
| title_short | Exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school-age children’s vulnerability to malaria infections in south-eastern Tanzania |
| title_sort | exploring activities and behaviours potentially increases school age children s vulnerability to malaria infections in south eastern tanzania |
| topic | Malaria Disease reservoir School-age children Focus Group Discussion Human behavior Outdoor malaria transmission |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-023-04703-2 |
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