Impact of New Malaria Treatment Guidelines in Kenya
Author Information
Author(s): D. Zurovac, J. Njogu, W. Akhwale, D. H. Hamer, B. A. Larson, R. W. Snow
Primary Institution: KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Research Programme
Hypothesis
How do revised malaria diagnosis recommendations affect treatment practices across different age groups in Kenya?
Conclusion
Malaria diagnosis and treatment practices were similar for children and adults, despite different recommendations, with low overall use of the recommended treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- 43.0% of patients aged 5 years and older underwent malaria testing.
- AL was prescribed for 79.7% of patients aged 5 years and older with positive test results.
- 84.6% of children with positive tests were treated with AL.
Takeaway
The study looked at how new rules for treating malaria in Kenya were followed, finding that doctors treated kids and adults similarly even though the rules were different.
Methodology
Cross-sectional, cluster sample survey at government facilities in four Kenyan districts.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the limited number of facilities with rapid diagnostic tests.
Limitations
The study was limited to facilities with available malaria diagnostics and AL on the survey day.
Participant Demographics
706 febrile patients, including 401 young children and 305 patients aged 5 years and older.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 34.4–51.5
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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