Knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) regarding malaria and its prevention among patients with suspected malaria in Mangaluru Maskeri Rakshita1, Jain Animesh2, Ullal Sheetal3,*, Shenoy Damodar4, Shenoy Suchitra5, Rai Sharada6 1Tutor, Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Manipal, Karnataka, India 2Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Manipal, Karnataka, India 3Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Manipal, Karnataka, India 4Professor, Department of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Manipal, Karnataka, India 5Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Manipal, Karnataka, India 6Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Mangalore, Manipal, Karnataka, India *Corresponding Author: Sheetal Ullal, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576 104, Karnataka, India Email: sheetal.ullal@manipal.edu
Online published on 25 September, 2018. Abstract Background Malaria continues to be a devastating disease in India and Mangaluru is endemic to malaria. The success of malaria control programmes has been directly proportional to the awareness in the community; hence this study has been conducted to assess patients’ knowledge, attitude and practices towards the disease and its prevention. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study. Patients with suspected malaria attending the District hospital were included in the study. A validated questionnaire developed by the authors examined the respondent's knowledge, attitude and prevention practices towards malaria. Results Majority of the participants (89%) showed a reasonable knowledge of malaria including its mode of transmission and symptoms. Majority of the study population (81%) considered malaria to be a serious health problem, thus reflecting their attitude to the disease. However, only a small proportion of the participants (21%) stated that they use preventive measures every day. Conclusions Despite having a reasonable knowledge of malaria and its preventive measures, there was a stark lack in practice of these measures, which is distressing. There is an urgent need to implement strategies to motivate communities to use of the available preventive measures. Top Keywords Malaria, Mangaluru, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice. Top |