Factors affecting the uptake of IPT for malaria among pregnant women attending Kawaala health centre in Rubaga division, KCCA.

Abstract

Introduction: The study was based on the factors influencing the uptake of IPT among pregnant women attending Kawaala HC III in Lubaga division, KCCA and it involved 366 who were picked at random from the pregnant women and the health workers. The study was a cross sectional survey based on the Broad objective: To assess the factors influencing the uptake of IPT among pregnant women attending Kawaala HC III in Lubaga division, KCCA. Methodology: The study involved a questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion guide for data collection as the major tools for data collection. Raw data was collected, coded and entered into SPSS version 16 whereby the results were analysed using the Uni – variate, Bi – variate and the Multi – variate analysis and thereafter (output) was exported to word for presentation. The study mainly found out that the prevalence of uptake of the level of malaria prevention methods among pregnant women attending Kawaala HC III in Lubaga division. Findings: The Socioeconomic factors like income of households, occupation, and others influence the usage of malaria prevention methods during pregnancy. It is therefore imperative that these factors be considered when designing and implementing policies aimed at improving the uptake of these measures during pregnancy and Malaria during pregnancy is harmful to both the mother and the foetus. Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTP) is a strategy where pregnant women in malaria-endemic countries receive full doses of sulphadoxine- pyrimethamine (SP), whether or not they have malaria. Conclusions and Recommendations: Marital status (OR of 2.9) of the pregnant women, their religion (OR of 2.2), their age (OR of 1.5), and their level of education (OR of 1.2) are significant influencers of IPT uptake in Kawala HC III. Themothers’ knowledge of number of tablets given (OR of 1.5), knowledge of number of times taking tablets (OR of 2.21), and knowledge of how often to attend to ANC classes (OR of 2.9) had a statistically significant influence on their having taken the IPT tablets during pregnancy. Both environmental cause and trimester related causes had a significant influence on a pregnant mother’s uptake of IPT in pregnancy (OR of 1.51 and OR of 2.1 respectively). We recommend that during the delivery of ANC services the age, marital status, education level and religion should be put in consideration when attending to pregnancy mothers in Kawala HC III. Also the MoH policies and guidelines should include aspects of knowledge of number of tablets given, the number of times taking tablets and how often to attend to ANC classes.