Factors Influencing the Use of Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria Among Pregnant Women in Rural Communities of Abia State, Nigeria
Clicks: 1
ID: 311555
2025
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This
article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score —
reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
Reader Engagement
0.0
/100
1 views
0 readers
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal
Ranked #247 of 254 articles by views in Yemen Journal of Medicine
Most read
Least read
Bar heights use a square-root scale. Only the 120 most-read articles are drawn; the journal has 254 in total.
Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet mintedCreate a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.
5
SUSD
one-off · no wallet required
Abstract
Background: Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) remains a critical public health concern in Nigeria, with significant implications for maternal and fetal health. Despite national policy guidelines advocating the use of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy using Sulphadoxine- Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP), its uptake remains suboptimal in many rural communities. This study aimed to assess the factors influencing IPTp-SP utilization among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANCs) in rural areas of Abia State.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted, involving 422 pregnant women selected through a multistage sampling technique across three predominantly rural Local Government Areas (LGAs): Ugwunagbo, Isiala Ngwa South, and Ukwa East. Data were collected using a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation analyses were employed to examine associations between socio-demographic variables, accessibility, beliefs, health system factors, and IPTp uptake. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: The majority of respondents were married (82.0%), aged between 25 and 34 years (46.9%), and had attained at least secondary education (71.1%). Key barriers to IPTp uptake included drug unavailability (30.6%), long waiting times (28.9%), fear of side effects (19.4%), and cultural beliefs (23.0%). Notably, only 24.6% reported consistent IPTp-SP availability during ANC visits, and 46.4% had to purchase the drugs outside the clinic. Correlation analysis revealed significant associations between IPTp uptake and distance to clinic (r = -0.412, p = 0.001), health education (r = 0.562, p < 0.001), drug availability (r = 0.489, p = 0.002), and cultural beliefs (r = -0.297, p = 0.012). Chi-square analysis confirmed significant relationships between IPTp uptake and education level (χ² = 19.438, p = 0.001), awareness (χ² = 24.511, p < 0.001), and satisfaction with ANC services (χ² = 14.257, p = 0.003).
Conclusion: The study highlights multifaceted determinants affecting IPTp-SP uptake among pregnant women in rural Abia State. These include socio-demographic factors, health system challenges, cultural beliefs, and availability of services. Interventions aimed at increasing awareness, ensuring consistent drug availability, and improving ANC service delivery are critical to enhancing IPTp coverage in rural Nigeria.
| Reference Key |
akwuruoha2025factors
Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using
SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
|
|---|---|
| Authors | Emmanuel M. Akwuruoha, Edmund O. Ezirim, Chyke I. Amah, Christian O. Onyemereze, Isaiah O. Abali, Omolola M. Samuel, Augustine I. Airaodion |
| Journal | Yemen Journal of Medicine |
| Year | 2025 |
| DOI |
10.63475/yjm.v4i2.0106
|
| URL | |
| Keywords | Keywords not found |
Citations
No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.