A NATIONWIDE MALARIA KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES SURVEY IN MALAWI - OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY

A malaria knowledge, attitudes and practices survey was conducted in M alawi during April and May, 1992, to provide policy makers and program managers with information needed to design or improve malaria control programs, to establish epidemiologic and behavioral baselines, and to identify indicators for monitoring program effectiveness. Using clust er-sample survey methodology, 1531 households, in 30 clusters of 51-52 households each, were identified and members interviewed. Interviews were conducted by trained survey teams composed of young Malawian wome n with secondary level education. Heads of households were asked about malaria prevention methods used and about household economics; careta kers of children were asked about treatment and health seeking behavio r in a recent malaria episode in a child; and women who had been pregn ant in the past 5 years were asked about their antenatal clinic utiliz ation and malaria during pregnancy. Survey results will be used to mak e programmatic decisions, including developing health education messag es and establishing monitoring and evaluation of malaria control activ ities and outcomes in Malawi.