Girma Worku Obsie and Belay Negasa Gondol
Nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria. While most malaria cases and deaths occur in Africa. In the same way in Ethiopia also a major public health problem that every year it is the leading cause of outpatient consultations, admissions and death. Thus it was requested to identify the prevalence and causes of malaria cases timely. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among households in Guanga town southern Ethiopia; 2018. Systematic random sampling technique was employed for 227 participants with face to face interview. Logistic regression models were computed considered odds ratios with 95% Confidence Intervals at P-value<0.05 to identify factors associated with prevalence of malaria cases at study area. The result of this study showed that a total of 227 were participated with response rate of 99%. Of the total respondent more than half 127(59.1%) of individuals were females and 100(41.9%) of them were males. Overall prevalence of malaria infection in the study area was 50(21.9%). In finally logistic regression analysis showed that levels of tertiary education (AOR 4.209, 95% CI (1.160-15.267)), wall sprayed in last 12 months (AOR 2.867, 95% CI (1.842-14.276)), mosquito nets using status (AOR=2.654, 95% CI: 1.247-5.648) and presence of stagnant water (AOR=6.579, 95% CI (2.921-14.816)) were significant association with prevalence of malaria morbidity. In conclusion the present study revealed that malaria is still a major source of morbidity in the study area. This prevalence was the result of several factors. Therefore, effective malaria control measures should be implemented in order to reduce the prevalence of malaria and hence ensure the public health at large by improving prevention and control practices.
