Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Daniel Okenu

Abstract

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death among children under 5 years old in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Also, public health efforts on malaria prevention have been successful in many regions but remains an issue in SSA. Malaria-induced anemia (MA) is associated with health complications among children. The impact of several sociodemographic factors (age, gender, residential type, and parent’s educational level) and malaria preventive/intervention measures such as mosquito net use and malaria medication use among children under 5 years old in Nigeria were assessed to inform malaria best practices and strategies, prioritize resource allocation, and support existing literature on malaria interventions. In this quantitative cross-sectional study guided by social-ecological model, 7,745 respondents who participated in the DHS 2015 survey were examined. Multinomial logistic regression was used to conduct inferential analysis to address the research questions. Children with malaria significantly (***p <0.001) had MA. The association between malaria medication use and MA was unstable due to small sample size. Gender was not significantly (p = 0.747) linked with MA. Children 0-36 months significantly (p = 0.04) had MA than those 37-59 months old. Parent’s secondary education significantly (p = 0.03) predicted MA. Based on these findings, improving malaria intervention adherence such as use of mosquito net, age specific intervention measures and awareness via education should be included in the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) vector control best practices. NMCP and their stakeholders should provide access to mosquito net use and malaria medication. More research is needed to fully understand the complexity of anemia in children less than 5 years old.

Download

Included in

Epidemiology Commons

Share

 
COinS