| dc.description.abstract | Malaria infection remains a threat of concern due to its burden and impact, its endemicity is high and health systems are weak. This study sought to find out the demographic, socio-economic factors, and knowledge, attitude and practice that influence the uptake of optimal doses for malaria treatment. Analysis was conducted on 100 household heads in Nakasongola town council. A binary logistic regression model was used to find out the effect of demographic, socio-economic factors, and knowledge, attitude and practice on the uptake of malaria doses
Overall, less than half of the household heads (42%) complete the doses for malaria treatment, majority of the household heads (52%) were married and most of them were not employed (35%). It was revealed that most households (53%) are between 1 and 3 kilometers away from the nearest health center. Majority of the household heads listen to radios (64%). Education level of household heads that is secondary and above was highly associated with the uptake of malaria doses (p=0.001, 0.005) with at least 15 times more likely to complete the doses, employment status of the household head with those who are employed was highly associated with the uptake of malaria doses (p=0.005). Other factors associated with the uptake of malaria doses were listen to radio by household head, and use of local herbs by household head with (p=0.045 and 0.037) respectively.
Creation of more income generating activities for those who are not employed will increase their affordability to purchase malaria doses which may improve their completion of malaria doses. Sensitization of the public about the dangers in self-medication may reduce the use of local herbs for self-medication and improve the use and completion of malaria drugs given at health centers. | en_US |
