title: Community Knowledge and Perceived Effectiveness of Interventions to Reduce Malaria: Implications for Sustained Use of Malaria Interventions in Rufiji District, Southeastern Tanzania.
abstract: Insecticides treated-nets (ITNs) and artemether-lumefantrine (ALu), crucial for malaria elimination, depend on perceived effectiveness in reducing malarial fevers. We examined community knowledge and perceived effectiveness of ITNs and ALu for reducing malaria in Rufiji district. Heads of households were interviewed on causes of fever in underfives, fever history, and antimalarial use during the last 2 weeks, perceived effectiveness of, and willingness to continue using ALu and ITNs. A total of 1,885 respondents were interviewed, a majority (88.2%) females. Illnesses with fever (malaria-76.1% and respiratory conditions-58.9%) were major health problems. There was a very high recognition of fever as malaria symptom (95.1%). There were mixed perceptions on effectiveness of ALu and ITNs: ALu (52.8%) and on ITNs as highly effective (48.1%). Both ALu and ITNs were judged partially effective. Reorientation of social marketing to increase demand for ALu and ITNs for malaria control consolidation is crucial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology/Medical Entomology, School of Public Health & Social Sciences, Muhimbili University of Health & Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic of Tanzania dontarimo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Donath S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tarimo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077611:Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D000077611:Artemether, Lumefantrine Drug Combination; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005449:Fluorenes
keywords: effectiveness of artemether-lumefantrine; fever; insecticide treated-nets; malaria; underfives