RISK FACTORS INFLUENCING MALARIA INFECTION IN COMMUNITIES OF THE BONO REGION, GHANA: INDIVIDUAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVES
Abstract
Malaria is a potentially fatal infectious disease caused by parasitic organisms transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes carrying the infection. This study examined individual and environmental perspectives on the risk factors of malaria infection in Bono Region, Ghana. An analytical cross-sectional study design was used in this study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, and a data extraction form was used to collect malaria data from repositories of the Ghana Health Service, Bono Regional Health Directorate. Descriptive statistics, such as frequency distributions and percentages of variables in each objective, were performed, and an inferential analysis was performed using binary logistic regression to determine environmental factors associated with malaria infection or endemicity in communities in the Bono Region. Findings showed that there was a statistically significant association between the use of insecticide-treated nets rarely and the prevalence of malaria in the bivariate model (p=0.0001) (OR=17.70, 95% CI: 3.885-12.820). Participants who traveled to a malaria-endemic area in the last 3-6 months had a statistically significant association with prevalence of malaria in the bivariate model at (p=0.0001) (OR=382.08, 95% CI: 51.821-2817.203). Similarly, having control measures of breeding sites of mosquitoes was statistically significantly associated with prevalence of malaria in the bivariate model at (p=0.0001) (OR=8.049, 95% CI: 4.734-13.683). In the 2020–2024 period, malaria trends in Bono showed sharp fluctuations, with notable spikes in mid-year months, indicating the need for intensified interventions during those periods. Seasonal variation in malaria prevalence was evident, with peaks observed predominantly during the rainy and humid months, suggesting a strong link between climatic conditions and disease transmission. The persistence of malaria in Bono is largely driven by preventable environmental and behavioral risk factors. This study highlighted that the persistence of malaria in Bono Island is largely driven by preventable environmental and behavioral risk factors. Thus, it was recommended that healthcare workers should collaborate with community leaders to organize a health education programme that will focus on improving preventive measures against malaria in communities.
Keywords:
Malaria infection, Risk factors, Environmental influences, Individual susceptibility, Bono Region, GhanaDownloads
Published
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15674070Issue
Section
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2025 David Kan Atolee, Kelvin Kanayo Nwabueze, Emmanuel Clement, Professor Best Ordinioha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Aheto, J. M. K. (2022). Mapping the risk of under-five children with malaria that accounts for environmental and climatic factors to aid malaria preventive and control efforts in Ghana: Bayesian geospatial and interactive web-based mapping methods. Malaria Journal, 21(1), 384.
Awosolu, O. B., Yahaya, Z. S., & Farah Haziqah, M. T. (2021). Prevalence, parasite density and determinants of falciparum malaria among febrile children in some peri-urban communities in southwestern Nigeria: A cross-sectional study. Infection and drug resistance, 3219-3232.
Bassey, S.E., & Izah, S.C. (2017). Some determinant factors of Malaria Prevalence in Nigeria, Journal of Mosquito Research, 7(7): 48-58 (doi: 10.5376/jmr.2017.07.0007)
Birhanu, Z., Yihdego, Y. Y. E., & Yewhalaw, D. (2017). Caretakers’ understanding of malaria, use of insecticide-treated nets and care-seeking behavior for febrile illness of their children in Ethiopia. BMC infectious diseases, 17(1), 1-16.
Dabbagh, A., Patel, M. K., Dumolard, L., Gacic-Dobo, M., Mulders, M. N., Okwo-Bele, J. M., & Goodson, J. L. (2017). Progress toward regional measles elimination—worldwide, 2000–2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 66(42), 1148.
Dawaki, S., Al-Mekhlafi, H. M., Ithoi, I., Ibrahim, J., Atroosh, W. M., Abdulsalam, A. M., & Lau, Y. L. (2016). Is Nigeria winning the battle against malaria? Prevalence, Risk Factors, and KAP Assessment of Hausa Communities in Kano State. Malaria journal, 15, 1-14.
Ghana Statistical Service GSS, National Malaria Control Programme, National Public Health Reference Laboratory, ICF (2020). Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey 2019. Accra, Ghana; and Rockville, USA; 2020.
Gopika, J., Eshwari, K., Pandey, A. K., & Shetty, R. S. (2024). Socio-ecological determinants of malaria transmission risk among population residing in an endemic area of southern province of Karnataka, India. 2024. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, 25, 101489.
Gul, D., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D., Nate, E., Auwan, A., Salib, M., Lorry, L., Robinson, L. J. (2021). Investigating differences in village-level heterogeneity of malaria infection and household risk factors in Papua New Guinea. Scientific reports, 11(1), 16540.
Isiko, I., Nyegenye, S., Bett, D. K., Asingwire, J. M., Okoro, L. N., Emeribe, N. A., & Mwesigwa, A. (2024). Factors associated with the risk of malaria among children: analysis of the 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey. Malaria Journal, 23(1), 109.
Kanmiki, E. W., Awoonor-Williams, J. K., Phillips, J. F., Kachur, S. P., Achana, S. F., Akazili, J., & Bawah, A. A. (2019). Socio-economic and demographic disparities in ownership and use of insecticide-treated bed nets for preventing malaria among rural reproductive-aged women in northern Ghana. PloS one, 14(1), e0211365.
Longo-Pendy, N. M., Sevidzem, S. L., Makanga, B. K., Ndotit-Manguiengha, S., Boussougou-Sambe, S. T., Obame Ondo Kutomy, P. ... & Mintsa-Nguema, R. (2024). Assessment of environmental and spatial factors influencing the establishment of Anopheles gambiae larval habitats in the malaria-endemic province of Woleu-Ntem, northern Gabon. Malaria Journal, 23(1), 158.
Morakinyo, O. M., Balogun, F. M., & Fagbamigbe, A. F. (2018). Housing type and risk of malaria among under-five children in Nigeria: evidence from the malaria indicator survey. Malaria journal, 17, 1-11.
Musoke, D., Miiro, G., Ndejjo, R., Karani, G., Morris, K., Kasasa S. & Musoke, M. B. (2018). Malaria prevention practices and associated environmental risk factors in a rural community in Wakiso district, Uganda. PLoS One, 13(10), e0205210.
Nadeem, A., & Bilal, W. (2023). Acceptance, availability and feasibility of RTS, S/AS01 malaria vaccine: A review of literature. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 16(4), 162-168.
Nieto-Sanchez, C., Dens, S., Solomon, K., Haile, A., theYuan, Y., Hawer, T., Grieten & K. P. (2022). Beyond eves and cracks: An interdisciplinary study of socio-spatial variation in urban malaria transmission in Ethiopia. PLoS Global Public Health, 2(4), e0000173.
Ozigbu, C. E., Olatosi, B., Li, Z., Hardin, J. W., & Hair, N. L. (2022). Correlates of Zero-Dose Vaccination Status among Children Aged 12–59 Months in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multilevel Analysis of Individual and Contextual Factors. Vaccines. 10(7), 1052.
Pierrotti, L. C., Levi, M. E., Di Santi, S. M., Segurado, A. C., & Petersen, E. (2018). Malaria recommendations for solid organ transplant recipients and donors. Transplantation, 102(2S), S16-S26.
Rana, K., Shrestha, V., & Chimoriya, R. (2020). The effect of housing on health and the challenges of demographic changes. Glob. J. Sci. Front. Res, 20, 75-82.
Sacks, E., Sakyi, K., Owusu, P. G., Ohrt, C., Ademuwagun, L., Watkoske K. & Kanyangarara, M. (2022). Factors contributing to neonatal mortality reduction in three regions of Ghana: a mixed-methods study using the Lives Saved (LiST) modeling tool. Journal of Global Health Reports, 5, e2021109.
Segun, O. E., Shohaimi, S., Nallapan, M., Lamidi-Sarumoh, A. A., & Salari, N. (2020). Statistical modeling of the effects of weather factors on malaria occurrence in Abuja, Nigeria. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(10), 3474.
Taylor, S. M., & Ter Kuile, F. O. (2017). Stillbirths: the hidden burden of malaria in pregnancy. 2017 The Lancet. Global Health, 5(11), e1052-e1053.
Tetteh, J. A., Djissem, P. E., & Manyeh, A. K. (2023). Prevalence, trends and associated factors of malaria in the Shai-Osudoku District Hospital, Ghana. 2023. Malaria Journal, 22(1), 1-7.
Thomas, S., Ravishankaran, S., Asokan, A., Johnson Amala Justin, N. A., Maria Jusler Kalsingh, T., Mathai, M. T., & Eapen, A. (2018). Socio-demographic and household attributes may not necessarily influence malaria: evidence from a cross-sectional study of households in an urban slum setting of Chennai, India. Malaria journal, 17, 1-11.
World Health Organization. (2020). Malaria Eradication: Benefits, Future Scenarios, and Feasibility: A Report of the Strategic Advisory Group on Malaria Eradication.
World malaria report (2021). https://reliefweb.int/report/world/world-malaria-report-2021 on 3/2/2022
Yakudima, I. I., Muhammad, Y., & Abdulkarim, I. A. (2023). Influence of Environmental Factors on Malaria Incidence in Jigawa State, Nigeria. Journal of Asian Geography, 2(1), 1-8.
