The Dilemma of Falciparum Malaria and Telecommunications in Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

The study of the prevalence of malaria, in relation to interpersonal communication ownership amongst adults and pregnant women in Adamawa. A database was designed at the American University of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Federal Medical Center in Yola. The database comprised patient information on age, sex, and the species of malaria, parasitaemia levels and ownership of interpersonal communication. For females, pregnancy status was noted. Over fortythree percent of all 1126 patients screened had malaria. Infection levels due to Plasmodium falciparum and P. malariae were 42.7% and 0.9 % respectively, demonstrating a significant difference (p<0.05) between these two different parasite species. Of the adults 77.8 % did not own cell phones (p<0.05) and 34.3% were women as compared to 23.4% of men. Sixty three percent of the pregnant women had malaria. The percent of pregnant women in this study who did not have any form of personal telecommunication was over ninety percent which was highly significant (p<0.05). High levels of infections due to the more deadly parasite P. falciparum were observed with sporadic cases of P. malariae in this region, and distinct differences in phone ownership based on gender in adults. The analysis of the patient database confirms a direct correlation between the absence of cell phones and the high prevalence of falciparum malaria particularly in women including pregnant women. Furthermore, higher P. falciparum levels were observed in women in the later stage pregnancy in comparison to those in the early stages. Key phrases: Plasmodium falciparum, interpersonal communication, malaria, public health, parasitaemia, telemedicine, pregnancy.