Performance of self-diagnosis and standby treatment of malaria in international oilfield service employees in the field
Falciparum malaria remains a major occupational illness that accounts for several deaths per year and numerous lost working days among the expatriate population, working or living in high risk malarious areas. Compliance to preventive strategies is poor in travellers, especially business travellers, expatriates and long-term travellers.
Methods: In this cross-sectional, web-based study the adherence to and outcome of a preventive malaria programme on knowledge, attitudes and practices, including the practice of self-diagnosis and standby treatment (curative malaria kit, CMK) was evaluated in 2,350 non-immune expatriates, who had been working in highly malaria endemic areas.
Results: One-third (N=648) of these expatriates visited a doctor for malaria symptoms and almost half (29 of 68) of all hospitalizations were due to malaria. The mandatory malaria training for non-immunes was completed by 92% of those who visited or worked in a high risk malaria country; 70% of the respondents at risk also received the CMK.
The malaria awareness training and CMK significantly increased malaria knowledge [relative risk (RR) of 1.5, 95%CI 1.2-2.1], attitudes and practices, including compliance to chemoprophylaxis [RR=2.2, 95%CI 1.6-3.2]. Hospitalization for malaria tended to be reduced by the programme [RR=0.4, 95%CI 0.1-1.1], albeit not significantly.
Respondents who did not receive instructions on the rapid diagnostic test were two times [RR=2.3, 95%CI 1.6-3.3] more likely to have difficulties. Those who did receive instructions adhered poorly to the timing of repeating the test.
Moreover, 6% (31 of 513) of those with a negative test result were diagnosed with malaria by a local doctor. 77% (N=393) of the respondents with a negative test result did not take curative medication.
57% (252 of 441) of the respondents who took the curative medication that was included in the kit did not have a positive self-test or clinical malaria diagnosis made by a doctor.
Conclusions: This survey demonstrated that a comprehensive programme targeting malaria prevention in expatriates can be effectively implemented and that it significantly increased malaria awareness.
Author: Anna H Roukens, Johannes Berg, Alex Barbey and Leo G Visser
Credits/Source: Malaria Journal 2008, 7:128
Published on: 2008-07-14
Copyright by the authors listed above - made available via BioMedCentral (Open Access). Please
make sure to read our disclaimer prior to contacting 7thSpace Interactive. To contact our editors, visit our online helpdesk. If you wish submit your own press release, click here.
Social Bookmarking
Digg this! | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Furl | Add to Netscape | Add to Yahoo! | Rojo
|
|
