INFLUENCE OF SOCIOECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS ON MALARIA DISEASE RESURGENCE AMONG THE ADULT RESIDENTS OF ISIOLO SUB-COUNTY IN KENYA

Abstract

This study evaluated the determinants of malaria disease resurgence among the adult residents of Isiolo Sub-County in Kenya. The following specific objectives guided this research; to establish the influence of the level of awareness on malaria disease resurgence among the adult residents of Isiolo Sub-county in Kenya.to evaluate demographic characteristics influencing malaria disease resurgence among the adult residents of Isiolo Sub-county in Kenya, to investigate socio-economic characteristics influencing malaria disease resurgence among adult residents of Isiolo Sub-county in Kenya.to determine the influence of environmental characteristics on malaria disease resurgence among adult residents of Isiolo Sub-county in Kenya, to assess the influence of malaria disease resurgence interventions on malaria disease resurgence among the adult residents of Isiolo Sub-county in Kenya, This was a descriptive study, employing a cross-sectional study design. The researcher used mixed research methodology in this study which employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. Stratified sampling techniques were used for sampling the study respondents. The residents of Isiolo Sub-county, key informant interviewers and NGOs/CBO based focus group discussion constituted the target population. The study respondents were selected from five different wards of Isiolo Sub-county with a Sample size of 392 comprised of 385 respondents randomly selected for quantitative data and 7 key informants and focus group discussion for qualitative data. The study used interview guides to collect data from key informants. Quantitative data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. SPSS version 25.0 was used in quantitative data analysis while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study received 100% response rate almost balance by gender as approximately 55% of respondents were male and 45% were female. Education levels of respondents varied because there were respondents without formal education while others had attained a tertiary level of education. Respondents experienced malaria resurgence in the study as evidenced by knowledge of malaria disease symptoms, causative agents of malaria disease, mode of transmission, treatment and intervention strategies among others. This study established that all the characteristics considered in this research had some level of influence on the resurgence of malaria disease in the study site as deduced by regression analysis model whose, R2 = 0.453, F- 1.385 = 316.804, P = 0.000 for socioeconomic, Beta- coefficient = 0.410, p=0.000 for an environmental factor, in all p < 0.05 at CI=95%. The study recommends that policymakers in Isiolo Sub-county should consider formulating policies that support education for the residents since a big percentage 58% had not attended any form of schooling. This study concluded that different malaria intervention strategies were implemented in the research site aimed at taming the resurgence of malaria disease but had mixed results. The researcher recommended that Policy makers and NGOs/CBOs sought to allocate additional resources in support of educating residents about malaria disease and how to control it since prevention is usually cheaper than treatment in their intervention programs to curb malaria resurgence in the study area. The researcher also recommended further research on the reasons behind a big percentage of residents of the Isiolo Sub-county not attending or enrolling in a formal school system.