Improving malaria preventive practices and pregnancy outcomes through a health education intervention: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: Ahmed Dahiru Balami, Salmiah Md. Said, Nor Afiah Mohd Zulkefli, Bachok Norsa’adah, Bala Audu
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2021
• Subjects: Randomized controlled trial; Health education; Insecticide-treated net; Intermittent preventive treatment; Birth weight; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03586-5; https://doaj.org/article/94c0021d8c2542f090390a215c493d2e

Abstract Background The prevalence of malaria in pregnancy and its complications, remain very high in Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the effects of a malaria health educational intervention based on the information-motivation-behavioural skills (IMB) model on malaria preventive practices and pregnancy outcomes. Methods The study was a randomized controlled parallel-group study, where 372 randomly selected antenatal care attendees were randomly assigned to one of either two groups after collecting baseline data. The intervention group then received a four-hour health education intervention in Hausa language, which was developed based on the IMB model, while the control group received a similarly designed health education on breastfeeding. Follow up data were then collected from the participants at a first (2 months post-intervention) and second (4 months post-intervention) follow up, and at the end of their pregnancies. Results For both groups, reported ITN use had increased from baseline (Intervention: Often–14.0%, Almost always–9.1; Control: Often–12.4%; Almost always 16.1%) to the time of second follow up (Intervention: Often –28.10%, Almost always–24.5; Control: Often–17.2%; Almost always 19.5%). Reported IPTp uptake at second follow up was also higher for the intervention group (Intervention: Two doses–59.0%, Three doses 22.3%; Control group: Two doses–48.4%, Three doses–7.0%). The drop in the haematocrit levels was greater for the control group (32.42% to 30.63%) compared to the intervention group (33.09% to 31.93%). The Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) analysis revealed that the intervention had significantly improved reported ITN use, reported IPTp uptake, and haematocrit levels, but had no significant effect on the incidence of reported malaria diagnosis or babies’ birth weights. Conclusions The intervention was effective in improving ITN use, IPTp uptake, and haematocrit levels. It is, therefore, recommended for the modules to be adopted and incorporated into the routine antenatal care ...