CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of this Study
Malaria is the most important parasitic disease in the tropic and remains of highest public health importance (Okeke and Okafor, 2003). Maternity mortality and morbidity are among the major health problem in developing counties, including Nigeria and
in sub Sahara Africa. Malaria due to plasmodium falciparum in pregnancy is the major contributing factor to these problems. About 47% of pregnant women are diagnosed with malaria in Nigeria (Nigeria government in action 2003) and an estimated one million people die in Africa from malaria each year and most of them are children under five years and pregnant women (World Health Organization, 2002). Pregnant women are a greater risk than non pregnant women and the severity of the signs and symptoms experienced by the former and their foetus are dependent on the level of body immunity before pregnancy (Wagbatsoma and Omoike, 2008). The increased severity of malaria in pregnant women may also be due to reduced maternal immunity as a result of increasing demand by the going fetus, increased attractiveness of pregnant women to mosquito and cyto adherence chloride ion sulphate A in the placenta steketee Breman, Paluku, moore, mardisu, 2003). Experiences with malaria have shown that prevention is better than cure, like in any other disease and practice of malaria preventive and treatment measures may be related to knowledge and belief of people. Malaria-related knowledge, attitude and practices have been examined in some rural and partly urban multiethnic population in Africa (Okrah, Trore, pale, Sonnerfeld and Miller, 2002 Tsuyuoke, Wagatsuma and Makunike, 2001, Dosson-yoro, Amalaman and Camera, 2001). Within Nigeria, a survey study was carried out by the knowledge, belief and practice of malaria preventive measure among pregnant women in which the findings revealed that a good number of pregnant women attributed caused of mosquito and other factor such as excessive injection of oil food, over exposure of sunlight and witch and Wizards. The misconception may have negative effects on the pregnant women as they will adopt wrong measures in preventing and treating malaria and this will lead to increased malaria attack with its accompanying complication may include anemia, pulmonary oedema, renal failure, premature labour, convulsion abortion in the mother and still birth, intrauterine growth retardation and low birth weight in the foeti.
The most pregnant women begin treatment at home with anti-malaria drug and antipyretics purchased over the counter from ,drug sellers without prescription and usually with inappropriate does of chloroguine (Derming 1989, Igun, 1987, Liporvslay, 1992), which often result in poor quality of care and fosters development of drug resistance (Bernejo, 1993). The ultimate resort after home treatment has failed the former health sector. In some cases, illness seen as amenable to treatment by modern practitioners while others considered best treated traditional headers (Press, 1990), thus, if the pregnant women has such perception, they may result to traditional treatment and this may even cause congenital abnormalities the foetus. Illnesses ideals and behaviours Amy enhance or interfere with effectiveness of control and treatment measures. Yet prompt and effective treatment of pregnant women with malaria is critical elements of malaria control pregnant women who become ill with the disease need prompt and effective treatment to prevent the development of severe manifestation and death (WHO, 2003).
Statement of the Problem
Malaria is one of the leading cause of maternal and prenatal morbidity and mortality in developing countries, Nigeria is not excluded (Okeke et al., 2005). Regrettably, there seams to be a lot of misconceptions about the aetiology of this fatal disease among women attending antenatal clinic at federal medical center as observed by the researcher. Having misconceptions about the aetiology most likely lead to adoption of wrong preventive measure against the disease and treatment and modalities and it this trend is left uncorrected, leads to more maternal and fatal deaths as result of this disease, hence this study.
Purpose of the Study
The overall aim of the study is to evaluate and investigate malaria in pregnancy among women attending antenatal clinic in Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki. Based on the above, the following objectives were set for the study:
a. To access the knowledge of the causative agent of malaria among the pregnant women.
b. To identify the preventive measure adopted among the pregnant women against the occurrence of malaria.
c. To identify the treatment of modalities opinion for malaria among the pregnant women.
Research Questions
From the above purpose, the following research questions were used.
1. What is the knowledge of causatives agent of malaria among the pregnant women?
2. What are the preventive measures adopted among the pregnant women against the occurrence of malaria.
3. What are the treatment modalities used by pregnant women for malaria.
Significance of the Study
The study is significant because it will expose the perceived cause of malaria, the measure for prevention and treatment and the knowledge of malaria risk factors by these pregnant women. This will in turn help health workers to discover areas of need and therefore device appropriate measures in from of health education, campaign and counseling in the appropriate preventive and treatment measures. Health workers can also facilitate the adoption of proper preventive and treatment measures by providing prophylactic anti-malaria drugs at subsidized rates or even making it free and providing insecticide treated nets at subsidized rates. It is expected that when the right malaria related knowledge attitude and practices and imbibed, it will reduce, the rate of maternal and prenatal mortality caused by malaria.
Scope of the Study
The study involved only the pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Federal Medical Centre Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. The research is also limited to the study of pregnant women's perception of causative agent of malaria preventive measures used treatment modalities and risk factor of making in the selected health centers.
Operational Definition of Term
• Perception of Malaria: An idea or belief one has about malaria.
• Pregnancy Women: These are women confirmed pregnancy through pregnancy test and are attending antenatal clinic.
• Preventive Measure: Are adequate steps of means taken to avoid contracting a particular disease.
• Treatment Modalities: Different plans or options available in treating a particular disease.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept of Malaria in Pregnancy
Malaria is a serious infections illness which is as a result of presence of plasmodium in the human body and its transmission is by an infected female anopheles mosquito when it bits human being. Malaria has clinical features which may include periodic fever, chills, sweating. Loss of appetite, body pain etc. in pregnancy the clinical features becomes more serer as compared with non-pregnant state (Wagbatsoma et al., 2008) in sub-sahara Africa, malaria in pregnancy is an important and a major contributing factor to the high material mobility and mortality (Steketee et al., 2001) and about 47% of pregnant women is diagnosed of malaria in Nigeria (Nigeria government in action 2003). In areas of stable malaria transmission the ill health effects are particularly apparent in primigravida and secondigravida (WHO, 2004), Similarly, malaria in pregnancy has many, adverse effects on the developing fetus as a result of placental parasitaemia
No comments:
Post a Comment