title: Home Management of Fever in Children in Zomba, Malawi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe health-seeking behaviours of caregivers of children with fever.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional descriptive study using structured and semi-structured questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban and rural areas of Zomba district, Southern Malawi.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caregiver knowledge, behavior and practices regarding childhood febrile illness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A questionnaire was administered to 510 heads of household who had treated a child aged £12 years for fever in the previous two weeks. Children treated at home received care more rapidly than those seeking care at a health center. Overall, 37.3% of febrile children received an antimalarial for treatment. When asked what should be done for a child with fever, 74.9% of respondents recommended a form of home treatment, while 23.0% said to go to a health center. Only 28.5% of respondents knew of an effective method of preventing malaria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To achieve the goal of prompt and effective care for malaria, education concerning practical methods of malaria treatment and prevention is needed, especially in areas where health care is inaccessible and unaffordable.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Social Research and Zomba District Health Office, Zomba, Malawi.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weil