TY - JOUR
T1 - Interactive Malaria Education Intervention and Its Effect on Community Participant Knowledge
T2 - The Malaria Awareness Program in Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa
AU - Cox, Sarah N.
AU - Guidera, Kathryn E.
AU - Simon, Molly J.
AU - Nonyane, Bareng Aletta Sanny
AU - Brieger, William
AU - Bornman, Maria Susanna
AU - Kruger, Philippus Stephanus
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The Malaria Awareness Program was funded by DukeEngage, Duke ChangeWorks, Gephardt Institute for Public Service Cantor Social Change Grant, The Resolution Project, University of Miami Butler Center for Service, and private donations.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, © The Author(s) 2017.
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Malaria is preventable and treatable, yet remains the most prevalent parasitic endemic disease in Africa. This article analyzes prospective observational data from the Malaria Awareness Program (MAP), an interactive malaria education initiative led by home-based care workers to improve participant knowledge of malaria as a precursor to increased uptake of malaria control interventions in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. Between 2012 and 2016, 1,330 individuals participated in MAP. MAP's effectiveness was measured through pre- and post-participation surveys assessing knowledge in malaria transmission, symptoms, prevention, and treatment. The primary analysis assessed differences in knowledge between individuals who completed MAP (n = 499) and individuals who did not complete MAP (n = 399). The adjusted odds of correct malaria knowledge score versus partially correct or incorrect score among MAP completers was 3.3 and 2.8 times greater for transmission and prevention, respectively (p values<.001). A subanalysis assessed knowledge improvement among participants who completed both pre- and post-MAP intervention surveys (n = 266). There was a 21.4% and 10.5% increase in the proportion of participants who cited correct malaria transmission and prevention methods, respectively. Future research should assess behavioral changes toward malaria prevention and treatment as a result of an intervention and examine incidence changes in the region.
AB - Malaria is preventable and treatable, yet remains the most prevalent parasitic endemic disease in Africa. This article analyzes prospective observational data from the Malaria Awareness Program (MAP), an interactive malaria education initiative led by home-based care workers to improve participant knowledge of malaria as a precursor to increased uptake of malaria control interventions in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. Between 2012 and 2016, 1,330 individuals participated in MAP. MAP's effectiveness was measured through pre- and post-participation surveys assessing knowledge in malaria transmission, symptoms, prevention, and treatment. The primary analysis assessed differences in knowledge between individuals who completed MAP (n = 499) and individuals who did not complete MAP (n = 399). The adjusted odds of correct malaria knowledge score versus partially correct or incorrect score among MAP completers was 3.3 and 2.8 times greater for transmission and prevention, respectively (p values<.001). A subanalysis assessed knowledge improvement among participants who completed both pre- and post-MAP intervention surveys (n = 266). There was a 21.4% and 10.5% increase in the proportion of participants who cited correct malaria transmission and prevention methods, respectively. Future research should assess behavioral changes toward malaria prevention and treatment as a result of an intervention and examine incidence changes in the region.
KW - South Africa
KW - community education
KW - community health workers
KW - home-based care workers
KW - knowledge
KW - malaria
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U2 - 10.1177/0272684X17749573
DO - 10.1177/0272684X17749573
M3 - Article
C2 - 29283041
AN - SCOPUS:85041557755
SN - 0272-684X
VL - 38
SP - 147
EP - 158
JO - International quarterly of community health education
JF - International quarterly of community health education
IS - 2
ER -