PATTERNS OF TREATMENT FOR MALARIA IN TAYABAS, THE PHILIPPINES - IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTROL

This paper describes local understandings of illness and documents tre atment-seeking behaviour in Tayabas, Quezon, The Philippines. Data wer e collected using focus group discussions and narrative interviews wit h adults and with mothers of children, who had had confirmed malaria d uring a two-month surveillance period. Signs and symptoms of malaria a re important in directing individual diagnosis, treatment-seeking and therapy. Household therapy with antimalarials, and more commonly antip yretics and herbs, as used before seeking care from either the formal or informal sector. Care outside the home was sought where symptoms co ntinued and/or worsened, with an average period of time from onset of symptoms to presentation to a clinic of six days. Accessibility to cli nics is not a problem in the study area and hence the primary reason f or delay was propensity to self-treat first and to discontinue medicat ion when feeling better. These factors affect the control of malaria a nd the potential to reduce transmission. Better advice to the communit y regarding the importance of diagnosis and compliance with antimalari al therapy is indicated.