Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T20:42:51.007Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

What affects utilization of malaria control services? A qualitative approach to understanding community perception in highly malarious Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra, India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 December 2018

Kalyan B. Saha ,
Priyamadhaba Behera ,
Hrishikesh Munshi ,
Bal K. Tiwari ,
Shiv K. Singh ,
Uma C. Saha  and
Mrigendra P. Singh
Kalyan B. Saha*
Affiliation:
ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, India
Priyamadhaba Behera
Affiliation:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubneswar, Odisha, India
Hrishikesh Munshi
Affiliation:
Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health, Gadchiroli, India
Bal K. Tiwari
Affiliation:
ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, India
Shiv K. Singh
Affiliation:
ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, India
Uma C. Saha
Affiliation:
Xavier Institute of Development Action and Studies, Mandla Road, Jabalpur, India
Mrigendra P. Singh
Affiliation:
ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research Field Station, Jabalpur, India
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) data have shown that nearly half of all malaria deaths in India occur in tribal-dominated areas. The present study took a qualitative approach to understanding community perceptions and practices related to malarial infection and anti-malarial programmes. Twelve focus group discussions and 26 in-depth interviews of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) were conducted in nine villages in the district of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra state in India in June 2016. A total of 161 village residents (94 males and 67 females) participated in the focus group discussions and 26 health workers participated in the in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using the content analysis approach. The findings revealed widespread misconceptions about malaria among village residents, and low use of preventive measures and anti-malarial services. Ignorance and treatment by unqualified traditional healers delay effective treatment seeking. Furthermore, failure to maintain drug compliance adds to the gravity of the problem. The study identified the social and behavioural factors affecting treatment uptake and use of treatment facilities in the study area. These should help the development of the behavioural change communication arm of any control strategy for malaria through improving community participation, so improving preventive practices and optimizing utilization of anti-malarial services.

Keywords

FGDIn-depth Personal InterviewMalaria
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 51 , Issue 4 , July 2019 , pp. 591 - 602
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press, 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bang, AT, Reddy, HM, Deshmukh, MD, Baitule, SB and Bang, RA (2005) Neonatal and infant mortality in the ten years (1993 to 2003) of the Gadchiroli field trial: effect of home-based neonatal care. Journal of Perinatology 25 (Supplement 1), S92–S107.Google Scholar
Basseri, HR, Abai, MR, Raeisi, A and Shahandeh, K (2012) Community sleeping pattern and anopheline biting in southeastern Iran: a country earmarked for malaria elimination. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 87, 499–503.Google Scholar
Bhasin, SK, Chaturvedi, S, Sharma, AK and Agarwal, DP (2001) Knowledge amongst adult population regarding vectors of malaria in 21 states of India. Journal of Communicable Diseases 33, 286–296.Google Scholar
Census of India (2011) District Census Handbook, Gadchiroli Village and Town-Wise Primary Census Abstract (PCA). MAHARASHTRA, Series-28, Part XII–B. Directorate of Census Operation, Maharashtra. URL: http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/2712_PART_B_DCHB_GADCHIROLI.pdf. (accessed 12th July 2017).Google Scholar
Chatterjee, N and Fernandes, G (2014) This is normal during pregnancy: a qualitative study of anaemia-related perceptions and practices among pregnant women in Mumbai, India. Midwifery 30, e56–e63.Google Scholar
Das, A and Sarkar, M (2014) Pregnancy-related health information-seeking behaviors among rural pregnant women in India: validating the Wilson model in the Indian context. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine 87, 251–262.Google Scholar
NVBDCP (2017a) Malaria National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme. Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. URL: http://nvbdcp.gov.in/malaria3.html. (accessed 12th May 2014).Google Scholar
NVBDCP (2017b) National Strategic Plan. Malaria Elimination in India 2017–2022. National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. URL: http://nvbdcp.gov.in/Doc/nsp_2017-2022.pdf (accessed 20th December 2017).Google Scholar
NVBDCP (2017c) Annex 11. Safeguard Policy Issues. Vulnerable Communities’ Plan. National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi. URL: http://nvbdcp.gov.in/Doc/vulnerable-community-plan.pdf (accessed 20th December 2017).Google Scholar
Ramasamy, MS, Kulasekera, R, Srikrishnaraj, KA and Ramasamy, R (1994) Population dynamics of anthropophilic mosquitoes during the northeast monsoon season in the malaria epidemic zone of Sri Lanka. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 8, 265–274.Google Scholar
Sabin, LL, Rizal, A, Brooks, MI, Singh, MP, Tuchman, J, Wylie, BJ et al. (2010) Attitudes, knowledge and practices regarding malaria prevention and treatment among pregnant women in eastern India. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 82, 1010–1016.Google Scholar
Saha, KB, Sharma, RK, Mishra, R, Verma, A, Tiwari, BK and Singh, N (2015) Establishing communication mechanism for malaria prevention in Baiga tribal villages in Baiga Chak area of Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh. Indian Journal of Medical Research 141, 576–583.Google Scholar
Sharma, AK, Aggarwal, OP, Chaturvedi, S and Bhasin, SK (2003) Is education a determinant of knowledge about malaria among Indian tribal population? Journal of Communicable Diseases 35, 109–117.Google Scholar
Sharma, AK, Bhasin, S and Chaturvedi, S (2007) Predictors of knowledge about malaria in India. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases 44, 189–197.Google Scholar
Sharma, RK, Thakor, HG, Saha, KB, Sonal, GS, Dhariwal, AC and Singh, N (2015) Malaria situation in India with special reference to tribal areas. Indian Journal of Medical Research 141, 537–545.Google Scholar
Singh, MP, Saha, KB, Chand, SK and Anvikar, A (2017) Factors associated with treatment seeking for malaria in Madhya Pradesh, India. Tropical Medicine and International Health 22, 1377–1384.Google Scholar
Singh, N, Singh, OP and Sharma, VP (1996) Dynamics of malaria transmission in forested and deforested region of Mandla district, Central India, Madhya Pradesh. Journal of American Mosquito Control Association 12, 225–234.Google Scholar
Sundararajan, R, Kalkonde, Y, Gokhale, C, Greenough, PG and Bang, A (2013) Barriers to malaria control among marginalized tribal communities: a qualitative study. PLoS One 8, e81966.Google Scholar
Thomson, M, Connor, S, Bennett, S, D’Alessandro, U, Milligan, P, Aikins, M et al. (1996) Geographical perspectives on bednet use and malaria transmission in The Gambia, West Africa. Social Science & Medicine 43, 101–112.Google Scholar
Thomson, MC, D’Alessandro, U, Bennett, S, Connor, SJ, Langerock, P, Jawara, M et al. (1994) Malaria prevalence is inversely related to vector density in The Gambia, West Africa. Transactions of Royal Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 88, 638–643.Google Scholar
WHO (2016) World Malaria Report 2015. World Health Organization, Geneva. URL: http://www.who.int/malaria/publications/world-malaria-report-2016/report/en/ (accessed 9th January 2018).Google Scholar