title: Prevalence of malaria and use of malaria risk reduction measures among resettled pregnant women in South Sudan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study assessed aspects of malaria infection, prevention and treatment in a population of resettled pregnant women in South Sudan.
  
  
  METHODS
  During April and May 2008, a cross-sectional study was carried out to estimate malaria prevalence and to assess the use of malaria risk reduction measures and their associations with selected background characteristics. Two hundred and twenty women were tested for malaria parasitaemia and questioned about their malaria prevention and treatment practices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia of 9.1%. No statistically significant associations were observed between selected background characteristics and malaria infection status. However, school attendance was significantly associated with insecticide-treated net ownership (OR = 6.52, 95% CI 2.37-17.94; p = 0.001) and access to malaria diagnosis and treatment (OR = 3.20, 95% CI 1.26-8.16; p = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that educational attainment need not be very advanced to affect practices of malaria prevention and treatment. Primary school attendance was a stronger predictor for use of malaria risk reduction measures than any of the other selected background characteristics. Educational attainment, information and communication about malaria prevention and control play a pivotal role in increasing and improving use of malaria risk reduction measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Østerfarigmagsgade 5A, 1014 Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dræbel
authors.forename: Bill Gueth
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Kueil
authors.forename: Dan W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Meyrowitsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D057147:Mosquito Nets; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D037841:Pregnant People; D015995:Prevalence; D012036:Refugees; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012574:Schools; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014171:Transients and Migrants
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides
keywords: Internally Displaced; Malaria; Pregnancy; Resettled Populations; South Sudan