ArticleBMC health services research2019
The role of health animators in malaria control: a qualitative study of the health animator (HA) approach within the Majete malaria project (MMP) in Chikwawa District, Malawi.
Article in BMC health services research, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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13 citing papers in PubMed, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
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- Community engagement approaches for malaria prevention, control and elimination: a scoping review.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Community knowledge, attitude, practices and beliefs associated with persistence of malaria transmission in North-western and Southern regions of Tanzania.Malaria journal · 2023Article
- Community-based house improvement for malaria control in southern Malawi: Stakeholder perceptions, experiences, and acceptability.PLOS global public health · 2022Article
- Incidence of clinical malaria, acute respiratory illness, and diarrhoea in children in southern Malawi: a prospective cohort study.Malaria journal · 2021Article
- Community engagement approaches for malaria prevention, control and elimination: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open · 2021Article
- Malaria prevention practices and associated factors among households of Hawassa City Administration, Southern Ethiopia, 2020.PloS one · 2021Article
- Performance of Malaria Volunteers regarding Malaria Control Activities in Southeastern Myanmar: A Study in the Areas under Coverage of an Ethnic Health Organization.Journal of tropical medicine · 2021Article
- Community factors affecting participation in larval source management for malaria control in Chikwawa District, Southern Malawi.Malaria journal · 2020Article
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMalaria continues to place a high burden on communities due to challenges reaching intervention target levels in Chikwawa District, Malawi. The Hunger Project Malawi is using a health animator approach (HA) to address gaps in malaria control coverage. We explored the influence of community-based volunteers known as health animators (HAs) in malaria control. We assessed the impact of HAs on knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards malaria interventions.
methodsThis paper draws on the qualitative data collected to explore the roles of communities, HAs and formal health workers attending and not attending malaria workshops for malaria control. Purposive sampling was used to select 78 respondents. We conducted 10 separate focus group discussions (FGDs)-(n = 6) with community members and (n = 4) key informants. Nine in-depth interviews (IDIs) were held with HAs and Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) in three focal areas near Majete Wildlife Reserve. Nvivo 11 was used for coding and analysis. We employed the framework analysis and social capital theory to determine how the intervention influenced health and social outcomes.
resultsUsing education, feedback sessions and advocacy in malaria workshop had mixed outcomes. There was a high awareness of community participation and comprehensive knowledge of the HA approach as key to malaria control. HAs were identified as playing a complementary role in malaria intervention. Community members' attitudes towards advocacy for better health services were poor. Attendance in malaria workshops was sporadic towards the final year of the intervention. Respondents mentioned positive attitudes and practices on net usage for prevention and prompt health-seeking behaviours.
conclusionThe HA approach is a useful strategy for complementing malaria prevention strategies in rural communities and improving practices for health-seeking behaviour. Various factors influence HAs' motivation, retention, community engagement, and programme sustainability. However, little is known about how these factors interact to influence volunteers' motivation, community participation and sustainability over time. More research is needed to explore the acceptability of an HA approach and the impact on malaria control in other rural communities in Malawi.
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