Abstract:
Background: Globally malaria remains one of the most severe public health problems resulting in massive morbidity particularly in developing countries. Ethiopia as one of the sub-Saharan country is highly endemic to malaria. It was noted that early detection and prompt treatment of malaria cases, selective vector control and epidemic prevention and control are the major strategies for malaria prevention and control.
Objective: This study assessed determinants of malaria infection among residents of Kakie town, Kellem Wollega, 2019.
Methods: Facility based unmatched case control study design was used to assess determinants of malaria from March 01 to April 30, 2019. A total of 238 cases and controls (119 each) were included in the study. Cases were patients who visited Kakie health center and Kakie hospital and had malaria confirmed by microscopy and the controls were patients who visited the same health facility with any type of medical cases and had no any sign and symptoms malaria and lived in the same Kebele. Data were collected by using pretested structured questionnaire. The collected data was entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Bivariate analysis was made to identify candidate variables. Multivariate analysis was made to identify independently significant variable. P-Value <0.05 was used to report significance and AOR with 95%CI for strength of association.
Result: The response rate was 100% in both cases and controls with mean age of 30.13±12.416SD and 29.44±10.941SD years respectively. The sex of the study participants was almost similar among cases and controls with male sex being 44.5% in cases and 45.4%) in controls respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression, presence of holes in the walls of house [AOR=4.87, P.value= 0.029, 95%CI 1.17-20.25], regular sleeping under ITN [AOR=0.297, P.value=0.002, 95%CI 0.136- 0.65] and staying outside beyond 3.o’clock local time at night hours [AOR=3.4, P.value=0.006, 95%CI 1.42- 8.14] were found to have significant association with malaria infection.
Conclusion: The chance of acquiring malaria infection is less likely in those who sleep under ITN regularly whereas those who live in houses with holes and who stays outside at night beyond 3 o’clock were more at risk of malaria infection than their counterparts. Dale Wabera Woreda health office, and health workers in Kakie health center and Kakie primary hospital should give health education on the identified risk factors.
