Knowledge and Uptake of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention among Caregivers of Under-five Children in a Tertiary Hospital in Kaduna State, North-western Nigeria
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Keywords
Malaria, Seasonal malaria chemoprevention, SMC, intermittent preventive therapy, SPAQ, control programme
Abstract
Background: Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic infection primarily found in the tropics, and seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is one of the strategies used to protect children. Despite years of implementation, gaps remained in terms of knowledge and uptake among caregivers. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and uptake of SMC among caregivers of children at a tertiary hospital in Kaduna State, North-western Nigeria.
Methodology: Using a cross-sectional study, 234 caregivers of under-five children were selected from immunization and paediatric clinics through systematic sampling. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and uptake of SMC during the preceding SMC campaign. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics, and a chi-square test was used to check for associations between relevant variables. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: All the respondents were females, 226 (95.4%) were married, 175 (73.8%) were Hausa and 98 (41.4%) were unemployed. Up to 182 (76.8%) had heard of SMC, 156 (65.8%) knew it as a drug for prevention, 128 (54.0%) correctly identified it as a rainy season activity, and overall, 128 (54.0%) had good knowledge of SMC. A total of 137 (58.4%) had taken at least one dose of SMC during the last campaign, but only 65 (27.2%) received all four doses. Of the 100 (41.6%) who missed SMC, reasons included not knowing about SMC (54.0%) and the child being absent (20.0%) during distribution. Factors associated with SMC uptake included education, occupation, ethnicity, religion and knowledge on SMC (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: Despite good awareness, gaps in knowledge persist with many unable to identify the purpose, duration or eligibility for SMC. Uptake of SMC was moderate, with only a third receiving full coverage. Health authorities should intensify efforts towards community enlightenment and adaptive programming to bridge the identified gaps.
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Auwal Garba Suleiman, Department of Community Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika-Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Mohammed Abdu Darma, Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika-Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Umar Yahaya, Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika-Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Zaharadden Shuaibu Babandi, Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika-Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.