1.1 Introduction
Pregnancy-related malaria symptoms often appear seven to fifteen days following a mosquito bite. Although there are other indications and symptoms of malaria infection, fever is present in most cases. It is often characterized by frequent episodes of mild to severe shaking chills, fever, and an overall edginess and discomfort. Diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, and nausea are other indications and symptoms. When diagnosing patients with fever of unknown cause, malaria should be ruled out as a differential diagnosis in every feverish patient who resides in or has visited an endemic area. When a P. falciparum infection is left untreated, any patient may quickly get pulmonary edoema, renal failure, coma, and even death (MMWR, 2004).
This chapter will address the background information that motivated this study, the challenges that prompted it, its aim, and its objectives as a preface to subsequent sections of the study. Additional factors include the study's significance, scope, limitations, research questions and hypotheses, and the definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Malaria is a tropical illness that is spread by mosquitoes carrying an infected plasmodium species. It is a major contributor to the morbidity and death burden among women who are childbearing and children under five worldwide. According to the 2013 World Malaria Report, malaria caused an estimated 627,000 fatalities in 2012. Of those deaths, 90% happened in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 77% of the deaths occurring in children under the age of five. According to the research, over half of the world's population, or 3.4 billion people, live in endemic zones and are thus still at risk of contracting malaria. In Africa, malaria constitute the primary cause of infectious disease burden and bears considerable proportion of the global burden of about 2.7 million deaths attributable to the disease with an estimated 300 million people who live with it yearly (WHO, 2010). Due to their weakened immune systems, young children and expectant mothers are the groups most at risk of morbidity (Roca-Feltrer, Carneiro, Armstrong-Schellenberg, 2008; Rogerson, 2010).
Malaria is a leading cause of anaemia in both pregnant women and children, and it is responsible for substantial pregnancy-related difficulties after childbirth (Ekejindu et al., 2006; Matangila et al., 2014). As a result of the deteriorating health conditions of populations in the developing world, and the impact of malaria to the health of pregnant women and under five year old, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) initiative was launched in 1990 with the aim of encouraging governments of nation states to initiate policies and mobilize resources that would significantly impact on factors responsible for health disparities, poverty in diverse communities, environmental degradation and social inequality. The Millennium Development Goal particularly for maternal health, and reversal of the incidence of malaria calls for a reduction in maternal mortality by two-thirds by the year 2015(Sachs, 2005; Orton & Omari, 2008).
In parts of the world where transmission is prevalent, malaria still causes illness and mortality in populations of pregnant women and children. In order to completely comprehend the behavioural aspects linked to present trends, malaria research must continue because of the unacceptably high death rate and persistently poor pregnancy outcomes despite efforts to assist reduction. Malaria increases the risk of severe illness in non-immune pregnant women (Nosten et al., 2004). Pregnant women who are HIV-positive and who are pregnant for the first time are most at risk of pregnancy malaria.
Therefore, in Ilorin Metropolis of Kwara State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Awareness and Prevention of Malaria in Pregnancy Among Women of Child Bearing Age.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that treating clinical illness in pregnant women who are not immune pregnant non-immune women are far more likely to have serious illness. When treating P. falciparum in pregnant women who are not immune, quinine is typically advised. When accessible, artemisinins should be the treatment of choice in areas with significant quinine resistance. However, in the majority of endemic locations, issues including safety and lack of registration must be taken into account.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Awareness and Prevention of Malaria in Pregnancy Among Women of Child Bearing Age in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of women of reproductive age in preventing malaria during pregnancy;
- To assess the awareness level of women of reproductive age about malaria prevention;
- To identify the measures utilized by women of reproductive age in preventing malaria during pregnancy;
- To ascertain whether there exist any relationship between knowledge and practice of malaria prevention among Women of Child Bearing Age.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Are there measures utilized by women of reproductive age in preventing malaria during pregnancy?
- Is there any relationship between knowledge and practice of malaria prevention among Women of Child Bearing Age?
- What is the awareness level of women of reproductive age about malaria prevention?
- What are the knowledge, attitude and practices of women of reproductive age in preventing malaria during pregnancy?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There are no significant measures utilized by women of reproductive age in preventing malaria during pregnancy
- H1: There are significant measures utilized by women of reproductive age in preventing malaria during pregnancy
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There is no significant relationship between knowledge and practice of malaria prevention among Women of Child Bearing Age
- H1: There is a significant relationship between knowledge and practice of malaria prevention among Women of Child Bearing Age
1.7 Significance of Study
This research advances our understanding and may function as a model for future investigations. Midwives and other researchers who wish to learn more about this topic can greatly benefit from this study, which may also be utilized by non-researchers to expand on their own research projects.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Awareness and Prevention of Malaria in Pregnancy Among Women of Child Bearing Age in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research Material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
- Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Malaria:
Malaria is a tropical disease transmitted by an infected plasmodium species of mosquito and constitutes an important cause for global burden of morbidity and mortality among Women of Child Bearing Age and under five year old children.
