title: Knowledge and perceptions about malaria in communities in four districts of the Central African Republic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Implementation of malaria control strategies may face major social and cultural challenges. Hence, understanding local knowledge about malaria helps in designing sustainable community-based malaria control programmes. We designed a pilot survey in communities in the Central African Republic to evaluate recognition of malaria symptoms, perceptions of the causes of malaria and knowledge of key preventive measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted in four districts. Households were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling, with villages (in Lobaye, Ouham and Ouaka) and boroughs (in Bangui City) as first-stage units and households as second-stage units. A total of 2920 householders were interviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the respondents attributed malaria to mosquito bites (65.5%), but less than 50% were familiar with the classical symptoms of malaria. Hygiene and sanitation were the most frequently mentioned methods for preventing malaria (81.1%). Despite the relatively high rate of ownership of insecticide-treated nets (72.1%), community perception of these nets as a preventive measure against mosquito bites was very low (6.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The correct perceptions that mosquitoes cause malaria transmission and of environmental management for prevention are encouraging; however, awareness about the usefulness of insecticide treated-nets for malaria prevention must be raised. This study provided the national malaria control programme with baseline data for planning appropriate health education in communities.
authors.affiliation: University of Bangui, PO Box 1450, Bangui, Central African Republic. bobossi@yahoo.fr.|Complexe Pédiatrique de Bangui, Ministry of Public Health, Population and AIDS Control, PO Box 883, Bangui, Central African Republic. bobossi@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Gustave Bobossi
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Serengbe
authors.affiliation: Malaria Programme Division, Ministry of Public Health, Population and AIDS Control, PO Box 883, Bangui, Central African Republic. methodemoyen@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Methode
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moyen
authors.affiliation: Complexe Pédiatrique de Bangui, Ministry of Public Health, Population and AIDS Control, PO Box 883, Bangui, Central African Republic. fioboyrosine@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Rosine
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fioboy
authors.affiliation: United Nations Population Fund, Bangui, PO Box 873, Bangui, Central African Republic. beynar6@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Edith Narcisse
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Beyam
authors.affiliation: Complexe Pédiatrique de Bangui, Ministry of Public Health, Population and AIDS Control, PO Box 883, Bangui, Central African Republic. kango.cyriaque@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Cyriaque
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kango
authors.affiliation: Complexe Pédiatrique de Bangui, Ministry of Public Health, Population and AIDS Control, PO Box 883, Bangui, Central African Republic. banguecolette@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bangue
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur of Bangui, PO Box 923, Bangui, Central African Republic. amanirak@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manirakiza
mesh_terms: D002488:Central African Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control