Table 2.
Beliefs and perceptions of malaria (n = 560)
| Perception/belief | No. (%) |
|---|---|
| Perceptions of malaria: | |
| Fever as most frequent illness in village | 489 (82.3) |
| Fever as most dangerous illness in village | 294 (52.5) |
| Mechanism of acquiring malaria: | |
| Mosquitoes | 407 (72.7) |
| Getting chilled/overheated | 48 (8.6) |
| Poor hygiene/unkempt household | 45 (8.1) |
| Bad food/water | 15 (2.6) |
| Unripe fruits | 13 (2.4) |
| Other (fatigue, rats, etc) | 9 (1.6) |
| Unsure | 23 (3.9) |
| Symptoms of malaria: | |
| Chills/rigors | 249 (44.4) |
| Headache | 228(40.8) |
| Listless | 29 (5.1) |
| Vomiting | 16 (2.8) |
| Agitation | 9 (1.6) |
| Seizures/shaking | 2 (0.3) |
| Other (coughing, trouble breathing, etc) | 15 (2.9) |
| Unsure | 12 (2.1) |
| Protection against malaria: | |
| Use bednet/avoid mosquito bites | 246 (44.0) |
| Use natural medicines | 108 (19.3) |
| Keep household clean | 85 (15.1) |
| Take medications | 62 (11.1) |
| Visit hospital/doctor | 13 (2.3) |
| Avoid unripe fruits | 12 (2.1) |
| Stay warm | 9 (1.6) |
| Other (boil water, get vaccinated, etc) | 11 (2.1) |
| Unsure | 14 (2.6) |
| Severity pairings: | |
| Malaria is more of a risk in… | |
| …men | 52 (9.3) |
| …women | (321 57.3) |
| …same | 187 (33.4) |
| Malaria is more of a risk in… | |
| …adult | 6 (1.1) |
| …child | 376 (67.1) |
| …same | 178 (31.8) |
| Malaria is more of a risk in… | |
| …non–pregnant women | 5 (0.9) |
| …pregnant woman | 385 (68.8) |
| …same | 170 (30.4) |
| Frequency pairings: | |
| Malaria is most common in… | |
| …wet season | 452 (80.7) |
| …dry season | 100 (17.9) |
| …same | 8 (1.4) |
| Malaria is most common in… | |
| …cold season | 489 (87.3) |
| …warm season | 62 (11.1) |
| …same | 9 (1.6) |