KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES, AND PERCEPTIONS ABOUT MALARIA IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF ZIMBABWE - RELEVANCE TO MALARIA CONTROL

A survey of 411 household heads was undertaken in Gokwe district, Zimb abwe, to assess villagers' knowledge, practices and perceptions about malaria and their implications for malaria control. Our results show t hat although the government has sustained an annual indoor insecticide spraying programme for over four decades, about 50% of respondents di d not adequately understand ifs purpose, with 26% believing that the p rogramme was intended to kill domestic pests, not including mosquitos. During the 1991-92 spraying cycle, 72% of the villagers had their hom es sprayed. However, 21% of such villagers refused to have some rooms in their homes sprayed. Householders' understanding of the function of the spraying programme was significantly related to their compliance with it (P < 0.05). A total of 82% of respondents reported not taking any measures to protect themselves from malaria. Taking preventive mea sures was significantly related to knowledge of the causes of malaria (P < 0.05). The study shows the importance of involving communities in a control programme intended to be to their benefit and of informing them about available options for protection against malaria.