FACTORS INFLUENCING MALARIA TREATMENT AND PATIENT ADHERENCE TO ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

In Ethiopia the health system is underdeveloped and much of the rural population has limited access to modern health services. The Ethiopian government introduced the Health Extension Program which is a community-based health care delivery system aimed at accessing essential health services such as malaria treatment through its health extension workers (HEWs). The objective of this study was to evaluate factors influencing malaria treatment practice of health extension workers (HEWs) and patient adherence to antimalarial drugs. A qualitative research design that is explorative and descriptive was used. Data was collected by means of (1) in-depth individual interviews among 20 HEWs, and seven focus group discussions with malaria treated patients. Data was analyzed thematically. Four themes emerged from the data, namely: (1) health facility related factors, (2) HEWs related factors, (3) patient related factors, and (4) community related factors. Improving the availability of essential resources such as rapid diagnostic test kits (RDT) and antimalarial drugs, improving the community’s perception towards antimalarial drug effectiveness and adequately educating patients on how to take antimalarial drugs can improve malaria treatment practice of the HEWs and patient adherence to antimalarial drugs.