TY - JOUR
T1 - Targeted community based interventions improved malaria management competencies in rural Ghana
AU - Quakyi, Isabella A.
AU - Adjei, George O.
AU - Sullivan, David J.
AU - Stephens, Judith K.
AU - Laar, Amos
AU - Ama Aubyn, Vivian N.
AU - Owusu, Richmond
AU - Sakyi, Kwame S.
AU - Coleman, Nathaniel
AU - Krampa, Francis D.
AU - Vanotoo, Linda
AU - Tuakli, Julliette
AU - Bortei, Bernard B.
AU - Essuman, Edward
AU - Sorvor, Felix
AU - Boateng, Isaac A.
AU - Bart-Plange, Constance
AU - Addison, Ebenezer A.
AU - Winch, Peter
AU - Adjei, Andrew A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This Research was supported by CHAI budget. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funders.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, The Author(s).
PY - 2017/12
Y1 - 2017/12
N2 - Background: Malaria is one of the most challenging public health concerns in the developing world. To address its impact in endemic regions, several interventions are implemented by stakeholders. The Affordable Medicine Facility-malaria (AMFm) is an example of such interventions. Its activities include communication interventions to enhance the knowledge of caregivers of children under five years, licensed chemical sellers (LCS) and prescribers on malaria management with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the AMFm activities on malaria among targeted groups in two rural communities in Ghana. Methods: A communication intervention study was conducted in the Asante-Akim North and South Districts of Ghana. Repeated cross-sectional pre and post surveys were deployed. Relevant malaria messages were designed and used to develop the information, education and communication (IEC) tools for the intervention. With the aid of posters and flipcharts developed by our study, community health workers (CHWs), prescribers, and licenced chemical sellers provided proper counselling to clients on malaria management. Trained CHWs and community based volunteers educated caregivers of children under five years on malaria management at their homes and at public gatherings such as churches, mosques, schools. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were run to determine associations and control for demographic differences respectively. Results: There was significantly high exposure to malaria/ACT interventions in the intervention district than in the comparison district (OR = 16.02; 95% CI = 7.88–32.55) and same for malaria/ACT-related knowledge (OR = 3.63; 95% CI = 2.52–5.23). The participants in the intervention district were also more knowledgeable about correct administration of dispersible drug for children <5 years than their counterparts in the unexposed district. Conclusion: Our data show that targeted interventions improve malaria based competences in rural community settings. The availability of subsidized ACTs and the intensity of the communication campaigns contributed to the AMFm-related awareness, improved knowledge on malaria/ACTs and management practices.
AB - Background: Malaria is one of the most challenging public health concerns in the developing world. To address its impact in endemic regions, several interventions are implemented by stakeholders. The Affordable Medicine Facility-malaria (AMFm) is an example of such interventions. Its activities include communication interventions to enhance the knowledge of caregivers of children under five years, licensed chemical sellers (LCS) and prescribers on malaria management with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the AMFm activities on malaria among targeted groups in two rural communities in Ghana. Methods: A communication intervention study was conducted in the Asante-Akim North and South Districts of Ghana. Repeated cross-sectional pre and post surveys were deployed. Relevant malaria messages were designed and used to develop the information, education and communication (IEC) tools for the intervention. With the aid of posters and flipcharts developed by our study, community health workers (CHWs), prescribers, and licenced chemical sellers provided proper counselling to clients on malaria management. Trained CHWs and community based volunteers educated caregivers of children under five years on malaria management at their homes and at public gatherings such as churches, mosques, schools. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were run to determine associations and control for demographic differences respectively. Results: There was significantly high exposure to malaria/ACT interventions in the intervention district than in the comparison district (OR = 16.02; 95% CI = 7.88–32.55) and same for malaria/ACT-related knowledge (OR = 3.63; 95% CI = 2.52–5.23). The participants in the intervention district were also more knowledgeable about correct administration of dispersible drug for children <5 years than their counterparts in the unexposed district. Conclusion: Our data show that targeted interventions improve malaria based competences in rural community settings. The availability of subsidized ACTs and the intensity of the communication campaigns contributed to the AMFm-related awareness, improved knowledge on malaria/ACTs and management practices.
KW - Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm)
KW - Comparison Districts
KW - Intervention Districts
KW - Malaria Management
KW - Rural Ghana
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U2 - 10.1186/s41256-017-0048-5
DO - 10.1186/s41256-017-0048-5
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85096941945
SN - 2397-0642
VL - 2
JO - Global Health Research and Policy
JF - Global Health Research and Policy
IS - 1
M1 - 29
ER -