By Joke Kujenya
TRUST IN health information and positive health beliefs have emerged as major factors shaping caregivers’ decisions on protecting under-five children from malaria in Akoko, Ondo State, a study published on www.malariaworld.org has found.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the community-based study involved 498 caregivers of children aged 0 to 59 months across eight rural and semi-urban communities in the Akoko area.
Researchers used a multistage sampling technique, structured questionnaires and malaria rapid diagnostic tests to assess caregivers’ preventive practices, awareness, health beliefs and willingness to vaccinate.
The study found that awareness of the malaria vaccine was also high, with 77.9% of caregivers reporting knowledge of the vaccine. Most obtained their information through the health system.
Malaria prevalence among the under-five children surveyed stood at 10.1%, with prevalence varying significantly by age. The researchers also found that most caregivers reported appropriate malaria prevention practices, particularly mosquito net ownership, use of insecticide-treated nets and environmental sanitation.
Preventive practices were significantly associated with caregivers’ level of education.
The study, reported in MalariaWorld Journal and guided by the Health Belief Model, recorded a mean overall Health Belief Model score of 48.3 ± 13.9 out of 60.
Researchers found significant associations between willingness to vaccinate and religion, trust in vaccine information and Health Belief Model category.
Multivariable analysis showed that caregivers who did not trust the information they received had lower odds of willingness to vaccinate, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.16 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.05 to 0.53.
Previous vaccination experiences that influenced caregivers’ decisions were also associated with lower odds of willingness, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.24 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.09 to 0.71.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the by contrast, higher Health Belief Model scores were associated with greater willingness to vaccinate. The analysis recorded an adjusted odds ratio of 1.04, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.00 to 1.08.
The study concluded that malaria prevention practices and health beliefs were generally favourable among the population studied and may have contributed to the relatively low malaria prevalence recorded.
It identified trust in health information and positive health beliefs as the factors most strongly associated with caregivers’ willingness to vaccinate their children.
The researchers recommended stronger engagement by healthcare workers, improved vaccine communication and efforts to address caregivers’ informational gaps to support effective and equitable malaria vaccine uptake.
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