Getting malaria research to consumers: An evaluative study

Nwadibia Aja G. Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Nigeria

Consumers of health care want clear messages about malaria in order to make informed choices. Existing information on the subject is not always readily accessible to non-medical persons in rural communities in developing countries. Thus, a community education handbook on malaria control was developed to provide basic information to consumers in a simple way. Cochrane reviews produced by the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Review Group were used. Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of the handbook in meeting the information need of consumers in a rural Nigerian community. Methods The handbook will be used to teach adults (randomly selected from households) attending a seminar on malaria control. A semi-structured questionnaire designed to test current level of awareness on issues related to malaria and malaria control will be administered to the participants (pretest), followed by a series of lectures on malaria control, based on the handbook. The same instrument will be used to ascertain whether or not knowledge improved (post-test). Focused group discussions will be held to obtain wider perspectives, or other information not revealed in the interview situation. Results Results of the evaluation will be presented. This evaluation will also offer suggestions for making health care information more consumer-friendly.

Cape Town O13