| dc.description.abstract | Background
Despite remarkable progress in reducing malaria prevalence and incidence in Uganda, there
are areas that remain heavily burdened with the epidemic. Slum areas are among such areas
and the extent to which the prevention strategies have been effective remain poorly understood.
This study therefore aimed at assessing measures taken to prevent malaria and associated
factors among households in slums using Katanga slum as a case study.
Methods
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Katanga slum in Kampala. A total
of 113 randomly selected respondents were interviewed in this study. Data analysis was done
using Stata 15. A descriptive summary was computed and presented in tables. A bivariate
analysis used a Chi-Square test to assess for associations between the adoption of malaria
prevention practices and the independent variables, and using variables that had p-value < 0.1,
binary logistic regression was fitted.
Results
Overall, 105 (93%) and 82 (73%) respondents had good knowledge and a positive attitude
toward malaria prevention practices respectively. Only 20% reported good malaria prevention
practices.
In bivariate analysis, there was a significant relationship between believing that malaria is a
life-threatening disease (p=0.025, ꭓ2=5.02), believing that the best way to prevent yourself
from getting malaria is by avoiding mosquito bites (p=0.003, ꭓ2 =3.02), believing that it is
dangerous when malaria medicine is not completely taken (p=0.013, ꭓ2 =6.11), and believing
that sleeping under a mosquito net during the night is one of the ways of preventing yourself
from getting malaria (p=0.001, ꭓ2=2.13), with malaria prevention practices in Katanga slum.
In multivariate analysis, the respondent’s belief in; malaria as a life-threatening disease
(OR=1.39; 95%CI: 0.28,6.85), the best way to prevent yourself from getting malaria is by
avoiding mosquito bites (OR=1.38; 95%CI: 0.19,9.58), it being dangerous when malaria
medicine is not completely taken (OR=1.41; 95%CI: 0.31,6.43), sleeping under a mosquito net
during the night is one of the ways of preventing yourself from getting malaria (OR=1.71;
95%CI: 1.22,2.41) and how often one and their family members slept under a mosquito net,
never (OR=0.01; 95%CI: 0.00,0.10) and sometimes (OR=0.03; 95%CI: 0.01,0.17) were independently and significantly determined to affect practices of malaria prevention measures
in slum areas.
Conclusion
The attitude towards malaria and the individual practices towards malaria prevention were
found to have an association with malaria prevention measures. However, the socio-demographic factors and the respondent’s knowledge of malaria were found to have no
association with malaria prevention measures. | en_US |
