Comparison of malaria prevalence between followed-up and the non-followed-up children of 5 years and below in Tororo District

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare malaria prevalence between followed-up and the non-followed-up children of 5 years and below in Tororo District. Malaria prevalence and hospitalizations were compared between the followed-up and the non-followed-up groups of children for a period of July 2007 to June 2012 using a multilevel logistic regression model. The former group had children of 6 weeks-10 months who were repeatedly seen for any medical service in 7 days a week open clinic. While the latter group had children of 5 years and below who presented for any medical service at the outpatient department. About 12,514 (32%) observations from the followed-up group and 27,106 (68%) from the non-followed-up group were analyzed. Of these less than 1 percent of the malaria hospitalizations were observed in the followed-up group in comparison to 41 percent in the non-followed-up group. The prevalence of malaria was significantly lower in the followed-up group in comparison to the non-followed-up during follow-up (OR=2.43; CI 2.22-2.65). Malaria was not associated with the place of residence, however the confounders within these areas explain the variation in malaria between the study groups (VPC=0.061, MOR=1). Compared to children in the followed-up group, those in the non-followed-up group have high odds of malaria and also being hospitalized as a result of malaria. This finding suggests the need for sensitizing parents always to seek medical attention as soon as possible every moment their children feel unwell.