Abstract:
background: Malaria is easily preventable but remains a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Around 3.3 billion individuals worldwide are at risk of contracting malaria and 409,000 deaths. Factors that contribute to poor malaria preventive knowledge, attitudes, and actions have not thoroughly researched.
Objective: is to assess malaria preventive practices and associated factors among households in Pigniwudo town, Gambella region, south-west Ethiopia.
Methods: The community-based cross-sectional study conducted among 413 systematic randomly selected households in Pigniwudo town, south-west Ethiopia, 2021. Data was collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire. After checking for completeness, the data were entered into Epi-data 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. A descriptive summary computed and presented. Binary logistic regression analysis did to look for the association between dependent and explanatory variables. Then factors that were statistically significant at (P-value < 0.25) in Bi-variable analysis were included in multi-variable regression analysis and variables P-values <0.05 and CI not touch 1 were considered as significantly associated with malaria prevention practice. Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test was checked and conclusion was made for P-value >0.05.
RESULT: Data collected from 413 households, with a 100% response rate. The mean age of participant was 31±8.8SD. The overall malaria prevention practice of the society was 62.7%. Ages 25-34 with (AOR= 4.5, CI= (2.546, 8.032), ages 35-44 with (AOR= 4.9, CI= (2.435, 9.805) and ages above 45years 5.812(2.029, 16.65). Female (AOR= 2.922, CI= (1.891, 4.515), married (AOR= 1.740, CI= (1.035, 2.925), knowledge of breeding site of mosquito (AOR= 3.700 CI= 1.482, 9.235) and knowledge about malaria as preventable disease (AOR= 4.014, CI= (1.502, 10.731) and the occupation of farmer and private employees were found to have statistically significant association with malaria prevention practice.
Conclusion and recommendation: The overall malaria prevention practice of the study participants has found to be at acceptable and comparable level to other national findings and standards. Further strengthening of the program is important.
