Rural Folks' Knowledge on and Adherence towards Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies

Abstract

Approximately 3.2 billion people in the world are at risk of malaria. Last year alone, WHO reported about 214 million malaria cases and estimated a malaria death toll of 438,000. In the year 2015, Sub-Saharan Africa alone recorded 89% of the world malaria cases and 91% of the malaria death toll (WHO, 2015). Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies (ACTs) remain the mainstay of malaria treatment in Ghana. This study therefore, sought to assess the knowledge on and adherence towards ACTs in the Adansi Traditional Area of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried among 310 adults who had or were taking ACTs and were currently living in the area during the study period. Quota sampling technique was used in selecting a representative number of the participants from each of the 7 towns in the traditional area. Primary data were obtained using self-administered and interviewer-assisted questionnaires. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 guided the analysis of data and data presentation was done using descriptive and inferential statistics.

The study discovered that majority (67.1%) of the respondents had knowledge on first line drugs use for treating malaria. Moreover, there was asignificance (p-value <0.05) association between participants' education, occupation and their knowledge on ACTs. Although, 97% of the participants didn't experience any of ACT's side effect, only half (50%) of them adhered to its frequency and dosage. This therefore calls for intensification of public education on the relevance of adhering to ACTs and medications at large.