Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Malaria in North-Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Malaria is one of the most distributed human parasitic diseases ranking first in terms of its socioeconomic and public health importance in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries and becomes a challenge to a highly endemic area of Africa including Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, due to the variation in geography and ecology, the transmission of malaria is highly variable. This study aimed to provide the current prevalence of malaria, the segment of the population affected and to identify the risk factors that aggravate malaria transmission.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in Bahir Dar Zuria Woreda West Gojjam zone, North-west Ethiopia which consists of 9 health centres and 36 health posts. A cross-sectional design was conducted from June to August 2020 on 391 study participants visiting three randomly selected Health Centers and ordered to give a blood sample for investigation. Socio-demographic data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26 software. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Of a total of 391 participants in the current study 111 (28.4%) were positive for malaria parasites. The presence of stagnant water in their resident area increases the risk of malaria infection by 8.1 times more than respondents having no stagnant water in their resident area (AOR: 8.1, CI: 95%: 3.381-19.18, P = 0.000). Respondents, who do not have a habit of using bed nets had a risk of 66.25 times more likely to be infected by malaria than those who have a habit of using bed nets (AOR: 66.25, CI: 95%: 28.80-152.38, P = 0.000). Malaria prevalence was significantly associated with education (χ² =13.960, p < 0.001) and occupation (χ² =11.335, p=0.003).
Conclusion: The prevalence of malaria was 28.4% (111). Males were a more affected group than females and Plasmodium vivax was the most prevalent species with 76.58% (85). Educational status, presence of stagnant water and habit of using bed nets were the risk factors associated with the prevalence of malaria.