Perception and practices of Lagos state residents on the prevention and control of malaria in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Malaria remains one of the major public health problems worldwide. It is an important cause of death and illness in children and adults in sub-Saharan Africa accounting for over a million deaths per year. The purpose of this study was to determine the perception and practices of the Lagos state residents on malaria. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in five of the 20 local government areas (LGAs) in Lagos Nigeria. Using a multistaged sampling method, 5 LGAs and 12, 500 study participants were selected. The survey instrument was a structured, pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaire which sought for information on knowledge, attitude, and practices of the respondents on malaria. Data analysis was done using Epi-info V6.04d software. Results: The mean age was 35.5 +/- 10.5 years. There were 8697 females (69.7%) and 3786 (30.3%) males. About 84% of the respondents correctly knew that malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes. Headache was the most recognized symptom (56.6%), while vomiting was the least (17.9%). About half of the participants recognized cleaning the environment as a primary preventive measure and the same number claimed to do so. Approximately, half of respondents claimed usage of insecticide-treated bed nets. Sulphadoxime-pyrimethamine (Fansidar) was the most frequently used (32.7%) antimalarial agent and the use of artemisinin combination therapy was low. Conclusion: Knowledge of malaria symptoms was average and the use of preventive measures was suboptimal. Increasing awareness of all stakeholders on traditional and contemporary preventive measures may enhance the control of this health condition.