Knowledge, control practices, transmission risk factors and cases trend for malaria among students of selected higher education institutions in eastern Tanzania
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Date
2022
Authors
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agricurture
Abstract
In Tanzania malaria accounts for over 30% of the national disease burden and over 95%
of the total population is at risk of getting malaria infection. Higher education institutions
(HEIs) do form clusters with different malaria transmission dynamics, but no study
conducted in such clusters. This study was conducted to assess Knowledge, control
practices, transmission risk factors and cases trend on malaria among students of selected
higher education institutions within Morogoro Municipality, eastern Tanzania. A cross
sectional and repeated cross sectional survey was conducted in four major Universities; a
face to face semi structured questionnaire was administered to 398 undergraduates and
supplemented with direct observation. A One Way ANOVA (p .000) at 95% CL
demonstrated a prevailing low knowledge level on malaria (58.8%) among respondents.
A repeated cross-sectional survey for six months regarding seasonal data (wet and dry
season) revealed a total of 181 possible breeding sites. As per study breeding sites; wet
season had 11072 and 3620 Anopheline and Culecine larva respectively; dry season had
1436 and 880 Anopheline and Culecine larva respectively. Also a ten-year (2011 – 2020)
data on malaria cases from catchment health facilities in each institution were analyzed, a
binary logistic regression (p. <0.05) at 95% CL shown that; males were positive by 3.3
percent less than females, dry season had 2.6 percent less as compared to wet season.
Jordan had positive malaria cases by 2.3 times more and Mzumbe by 17.8% less as
compared to SUA. The total positive cases were 65969 (34.1%) out of 193243. This study
has indicated the prevailing low knowledge level and control practices on malaria among
respondents with high exposure and transmission risk. This may impede the efforts
towards malaria control and elimination. Therefore, there is an urgent need for control
strategies that are most appropriate to higher education institutions and similar clusters.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Higher education institutions, Malaria, Eastern Tanzania, Mosquitoes