Assessment of Knowledge and Practice of the Community towards Malaria and its Treatment in Jiren Kebele, Jimma Town Oromia, Ethiopia

Background: Malaria is the most serious health problem in the world. In order to reduce malaria prevalence, knowing of the level of community awareness towards malaria prevention as well as community practice towards treatment seeking behavior is important. Objective: The aim of the study is to assess and identify the level of community awareness towards malaria, their practice of treatment seeking behavior and its relation to preventive measure. Methods: A community based cross - sectional study was conducted. Data was collected from a sample size of 283 households using structured questionnaires from January 28/2013 to February 8/2013. The questionnaires contain three parts depending on the information they contain. They include information about socio-demography, knowledge of the respondents towards malaria and its prevention and community practice towards malaria and its treatment. Result: A substantial number of respondents responded as they have reasonable knowledge on malaria (90.1%); including correct association between malaria and mosquito bites (87.2 %), and most people (85.8%) mentioned burning waste material as vector control method and few respondents were bed net owner (7%). Nearly greater than half (55.7%) of respondents stated that they would seek treatment within 24 hrs of onset of malaria at health facilities as their first treatment option. Finally data was presented in tables, figure and chart. Conclusion: The community overall awareness about the symptoms, cause, transmission and prevention measure of malaria was found to be high. Increasing awareness and access to early malaria diagnosis prompt treatment before the disease become complicated and participation in the health education is vital components in terms of malaria knowledge and practice.