Knowledge, attitudes and practices among pregnant women on intermittent presumptive therapy in Guruve District, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Objective: To determine knowledge, attitudes and practices on intermittent presumptive therapy among pregnant women.

Design: A descriptive survey design.

Setting: A rural district in Zimbabwe in a Malaria endemic area lying in the Zambezi valley.

Subjects: A convenience sample of forty pregnant women living in Guruve District and on the intermittent presumptive therapy (IPI) programme. There were no drop outs.

Main outcome measures: Selected indicators of knowledge, attitudes and practices were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: The principal results were that the majority of the respondents (67) had knowledge about the intermittent presumptive therapy (IPT) but (67%) lacked awareness of the benefits of the programme activities. Seventy respondents (43%) said that information about the programme was not readily available. Eleven (27.5%) believed that drugs used in IPI programme could cause fatal congenital abnormalities. All the respondents (100%) believed that malaria could be prevented. Twenty-nine (72.5%) took drugs for IPI accurately under supervision by the nurse and eleven (27.5%) took drugs incorrectly.

Conclusion: Drug compliance improves if drugs are taken under direct supervision. The results revealed that the majority was knowledgeable of the existence of the IPT, but were not aware of the benefits. There was also a problem of information dissemination leading to ignorance, and myths and misconceptions. Therefore, health education and promotion has to be intensified to give accurate information and motivation.