Factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment (sulfadoxine pyrimethamine) among pregnant women in the East Mamprusi Municipality in the Northern Region Ghana

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Date
NOVEMBER, 2019
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Abstract
Background: Malaria is an enormous public health problem affecting pregnant women, young children and adults, even though many awareness creation has been done on malaria in pregnancy but women in developing countries are still dying as a result of malaria in pregnancy and this necessitated for the research on factors influencing the uptake of intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp-SP) among pregnant women in East Mamprusi Municipal as it appears policy makers are not prioritizing malaria in pregnancy as a key condition that needs attention. Objective: To assess the factors influencing the uptake of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine among pregnant women in East Mamprusi Municipality. Methods: Convenient sampling was employed in interacting with 310 pregnant women solely to solicit the views on IPTp uptake as the ultimate goal of the study. Results: Approximately 90% of the respondents have heard about Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT-SP) and significantly 96.4% of respondents also received education on malaria in pregnancy. Moreover, 96.3% of respondents linked the transmission of malaria to mosquito bites. On the whole, about 50.8% of the pregnant women knew that failure to take SP during pregnancy can put the health of the mother and the unborn baby in danger. In addition to these, 63% of respondents perceived that taking of SP safeguards a pregnant woman from malaria as well as about 60% of respondents also suggested SP should be continued to be given to pregnant women in various clinics during Ante-natal care. About 46% of respondents mentioned that they were not able to take IPT at each visit as a result of stock out of SP within the Municipality. Conclusion: Ninety –six percent agreed that Nurses give Health talk on malaria and almost same percent knew that malaria is transmitted by mosquito bites. However few barriers like weakness, Dizziness, Scent of SP and above all stock out of SP in the municipality were some of the issues respondents mentioned interfere in uptake of IPT. Therefore, the municipal health directorate should ensure regular supply of SP to health facilities within the East Mamprusi Municipality.
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A thesis submitted to the Department of Health Education, Promotion and Disability, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree of Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Education.
Keywords
Factors Influencing, Intermittent preventive treatment, Sulfadoxine pyrimethamine, Pregnant women, East Mamprusi Municipality, Northern Region Ghana
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