Assessment of Use of National Guidelines for Malaria Case Management among Pediatric Resident Doctors Attending an Update Course in Benin City, Nigeria.

Introduction: The National Malaria Guideline is a veritable tool for appropriate case management of malaria. Whether the pediatric residents who are the primary caregivers of children know and make use of this guideline in their routine practice is not yet assessed.

Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the awareness of the Nigerian pediatric residents of the national guidelines for malaria case management (including antimalarial prescription for uncomplicated and severe malaria).

Settings and design: The descriptive study carried out during the 2017 National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Faculty of Paediatrics Update Course in Benin City.

Subjects and methods: Data were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire which was given to all pediatric residents who participated at the update course and who had given written informed consent.

Statistical analysis used: The statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0 (Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA).

Results: Of the 108 participants whose questionnaires were analyzed, 75.0% were Part 1 candidates and 25.0% Part 2 candidates; mean age 34.0 ± 4.5 years (range 26-51 years) and 42 (39.0%) males while 66 (61.0%) were female. Ninety-four (87.0%) were aware of the current national guidelines for management of malaria and 45 (41.7%) had read the guidelines. Correctness of prescription was obtained from 39 (36.0%) respondents in uncomplicated malaria cases and 44 (40.7%) in severe malaria cases. This finding did not significantly associate with the years of practice, level of practice, practicing institutions, awareness, and reading of the national guideline.

Conclusions: Most pediatric residents have not read nor use the national guidelines for management of malaria which reflected in poor prescription pattern of antimalarial drugs in routine practice.