Individual factors contributing to the increased cases of malaria among children below five years in Arua regional referral hospital, Arua district. A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background

Malaria is a major public health problem in Uganda, especially among children under five years of age. This study aimed to identify individual-related factors contributing to the increased cases of malaria among children under five years old at Arua Regional Referral Hospital. 

 Methodology

The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study with a purposive sampling technique, which was used to collect data from 50 respondents according to the specific objectives. The data was analysed by using Microsoft Word and Excel, then presented in tables and figures.

 Results  

The majority (72%) of the children were within the age group 0-2 years, whereas. More than half of the respondents (52%) were female. Individual related factors as follows, poor health seeking behavior as (35%) of the respondents resorted to home treatment when their children developed fever, low uptake of interior spraying as (84%) of the respondents had never done interior spraying and low utilization of mosquito nets among those who had access to them as (38%) of the respondents were not always sleeping under treated mosquito nets.

 Conclusion

Poor health-seeking behaviours, low uptake of interior spraying, and low utilisation of mosquito nets among those who had access to them contributed to increased cases of malaria among children.

Recommendation

The Ministry of Health should consider targeted interventions in the malaria prevention programs and concentrate on areas with high prevalence, as this will help to maximise the use of the available resources so that malaria can be effectively eliminated.