Household beliefs about malaria testing and treatment in Western Kenya: the role of health worker adherence to malaria test results.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although use of malaria diagnostic tests has increased in recent years, health workers often prescribe anti-malarial drugs to individuals who test negative for malaria. This study investigates how health worker adherence to malaria case management guidelines influences individuals' beliefs about whether their illness was malaria, and their confidence in the effectiveness of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT).

Methods

A survey was conducted with 2065 households in Western Kenya about a household member's treatment actions for a recent febrile illness. The survey also elicited the individual's (or their caregiver's) beliefs about the illness and about malaria testing and treatment. Logistic regressions were used to test the association between these beliefs

SUBMITTER: Saran I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5568326 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature