Investigations on Risk Factors for Malaria in Rufiji District, Tanzania
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61538/huria.v11i0.497Abstract
Rufiji District is an area with endemic and perennial malaria. The aim of this study was to assess the factors contributing to increased malaria risk in the study area. The factors investigated included; mode of house construction, protection against mosquito bites and human behaviour. Parameters recorded for evaluating the mode of house construction were; type of wall, roofing materials, presence of open eaves between wall and roof and the type of window. Structured questionnaires were used to assess household mosquito avoidance behaviour and utilization of bed nets. Medium scale behavioural surveys were carried out to determine time spent by individuals outdoors during the night. This was then plotted against mean hourly mosquito catches. Generally, house constructed using mud, grass, palm walls, and roofs made of grass/palm thatch, houses with no or open windows and without mosquito gauze and houses with open eaves and low utilization of bed nets (treated and untreated) were common over the entire study area. Of the 2,423 houses walls examined; 90% were constructed using mud, 61% were roofed using grass, 98% had eaves between wall and roof, and 49% had no windows while 45% of windows had no mosquito gauzes. There were highly significant differences (p < 0.001) within all the above variables investigated. Only 21% of the households used bed nets of which only 7.5% were insecticides treated. There were highly significant differences (p < 0.0001) within variables investigated on mosquito avoidance behaviour. Most individuals, both children and adults, remained outdoors up to 22.00 hrs. Environmental factors, poorly constructed houses, low rate of utilization of bed nets and other protective measures, and poverty were identified as risk determinants for malaria in the study area. Intervention measures relevant to the study area are discussed.References
Butrapon, P., Sormani, S. and Hungsapruek, T. (1986). Social, Behavioural, Housing Factors and their Interactive Effects in East Thailand. The World’s Knowledge 17, 386-392.
Charlwood, J. D., Pinto, J., Ferrara, P. R., Sousa, C. A., Ferreira, C. F., Gil, V. and do Rosario V. E. (2003). Raised Houses Reduce Mosquito Bites. Malaria Journal 2, 1-6.
Ezzati, M., Utzinger, J., Cairncross, S., Cohen, A. J. and Singer, B. H. (2005). Environmental risks in the Developing World: Exposure Indicators for Evaluating Interventions, Programmes, and Policies.
Gallup, J. L. and Sachs, J. D. (2001). The Economic Burden of Malaria. Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (CMH). Paper No. WG1: 10. 24pp
Gunawardena, D.M., Wickremasinghe, A.R., Muthuwatta, L., Weerasingha, S.,
Rajakaruna, J., Senanayaka, T., Kotta, P. K., Attanayake, N., Carter, R. and Mendis, K. N. (1998). Malaria risk Factors in an Endemic Region of Sri Lanka, and the Impact and Cost Implications of Risk Factor-based Interventions. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 58, 533-542.
Harris, A. F., Matias-Arnez, A. and Hill, N. (2006). Biting time of Anopheles darlingi in the Bolivian Amazon and Implication for Control of Malaria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 100, 4547.
Jowett, M. and Miller, N. J. (2005). The Financial Burden of Malaria in Tanzania: Implication for Future Government Policy. International Journal of Health Planning and Management 20, 67-84.
Kigadye, E. S. P. (2006). Diversity, Abundance and Vectorial Capacity of Anopheline Mosquitoes and the Risk for Malaria in the Rufiji District, Tanzania.
Ph.D. Thesis. University of Dar es Salaam. 204pp.
Lengeler, C. (2004) Insecticide-treated Bed nets and Curtains for Preventing Malaria. Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, CD000363.
Lindsay, S. W., Jawara, M., Paine, K., Pinder, M., Walraven, G. E. L. and Emerson, P. M. (2003). Changes in House Design Reduces Exposure to Malaria Mosquitoes. Tropical Medicine and International Health 8, 512-517.
Macintyre, K., Keating, J., Sosler, S., Kibe, L., Mbogo, C. M., Githeko, A. K., and Beier, J. C. (2002). Examining the Determinants of Mosquito-avoidance Practices in two Kenyan Cities. Malaria Journal 1, 1-10.
Malaney, P., Spielman, A. and Sachs, J. (2004). The Malaria Gap. American Journal of tropical Medicine and Hygiene 71, 141-146.
Mboera, L. E. G. (2004). Environmental and Socio-economic Determinants of Malaria Epidemics in Highlands of Tanzania. Tanzania Health Research Bulletin 6, 11-13.
National Bureau of Statistics (2002). Population and Housing Census. Volume IV.
District Profile. Rufiji. 39-120.
Najera, J. A. and Zaim, M. (2002). Malaria Vector Control: Decision Making and
Procedures for Judicious use of Insecticides. World Health Organization. WHO/CDS/WHOPES/2002.5. 105pp.
Panter-Brick, C., Clarke, S. E., Lomas, H., Pinder, M. and Lindsay, S. W. (2006) Cultural Compelling Strategies for Behaviour Change: A social Ecology Model and case study in Malaria Prevention. Social Science Medicine 11, 2810-25.
Richmond, M. D., Wilson, J. D. K., Mgaya, Y. D. and Le Vay, Z. (2002). An Analysis of Small Holder Opportunities in Fisheries, Coastal and Related Enterprises in the Flood Plan and Delta areas of the Rufiji River, Tanzania. REMP Technical Report No. 25. 96 pp.
Sachs, J. and Malaney, P. (2002). The Economic and Social Burden of Malaria. Nature Insights 415, 680-685.
Weiss, U. (2002). Malaria. Nature Insight 415, 669.
WHO (2005) World Malaria Report. World Health Organization. Geneva. 326 pp.
