Influence of Environmental Sanitation Practices on Prevalence of Malaria Among Children Under Five Years Old in Bankuman in Tema New Town, Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: In 2018, there was an estimated 219 million episodes of malaria globally, of which approximately 92% were in Africa (WHO, 2019). The poor standard of environmental sanitation plays a significant role in disease transmission, especially for endemic diseases such as malaria in sub-Saharan Africa (Amoran, Onwumbe, Salami & Mautin, 2014). Children under five years old are the most vulnerable group affected by malaria, as they account for over 60% of all malaria deaths worldwide (Ahmed, Mulatu, Elfu, 2021). According to the DHIMS (2019), outpatient malaria cases in children under five years old rose from 545 in 2017 (1.7%) to 612 (2.23%) in 2018 in Tema New Town. Knowledge of how environmental sanitation practices influence malaria prevalence among children under five years old in Tema New Town seems inadequate. Objective: To assess the influence of environmental sanitation practices on malaria prevalence among children under five years old in Bankuman in Tema New Town. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study design with quantitative methods were used to conduct the study. A multi-stage sampling method was employed, and data were analyzed with STATA 16.0 with chi-square and simple logistic regression. Variables with a p-value less than 0.05 were statistically significant for multiple logistic regression with statistical significance set at Results: The prevalence of malaria among children under five in Tema New Town was 8.5%. Age (AOR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-1.00), No open drainages (AOR: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.28) No uncovered dustbins (AOR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.03-0.52), Always de-silting open drains (AOR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01-0.70) were found to be significant predictors of Malaria by RDT testing among children under five in Tema New-Town. Conclusion: Malaria prevalence was higher than previous figures reported in Tema New Town and the Greater Accra Region. The use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, the use of mosquito repellents, and antimalarial prophylaxis, as well as proper waste storage and disposal, proper covering, and regular de-silting of open drains or gutters should be encouraged among residents.