Sociocultural barriers to accepting malaria chemoprophylaxis by pregnant women in central India
Singh, N.; Shukla, M.M.
Journal of Health Population and Nutrition 20(1): 93-95
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 1606-0997 PMID: 12022165 DOI: 10.2307/23498729Document Number: 245220
The feasibility of delivering antimalarial chemoprophylaxis to pregnant women in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India was evaluated in order to determine the acceptability of chloroquine by pregnant women. A total of 155 pregnant women (100 with malaria and 55 without malaria) were enrolled in the study. Of 100 pregnant women with malaria, 27 were infected with Plasmodium vivax and 73 with Plasmodium falciparum. Chloroquine was administered during home visits by health care workers one week after the initial visit to the malaria clinic. Chemoprophylaxis was given to 30 (19.3%) pregnant patients (20 from malaria group and 10 from the non-malaria group). Findings revealed that most women had limited understanding of World Health Organization policy. Poor compliance was also observed. The women, both in joint families (55%) and in nuclear families (45%), had sociocultural problems. Joint family members objected to male doctors and personal questions and insisted that a female health worker should accompany a male doctor. Nuclear family members allowed health staff visits only when a male member of the household was around. About 27% of women from the non-malaria group felt that health care workers were from the family planning department and that the drugs were meant for birth control. Prophylaxis was discontinued in 81% of the women. It is suggested that antimalarial chemoprophylaxis is better provided by health care workers to pregnant women in antenatal clinics rather than during home visits.