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We surveyed adults in a randomly selected sample of 1,000 households in 50 villages in nine malarial sub-districts in Purworejo, central Java, Indonesia from May to July 2001. The survey assessed malaria knowledge, attitudes, and practices in communities experiencing epidemic malaria to begin exploring broad strategies for controlling the disease in the region. A pre-tested survey instrument consisting of 93 questions addressed demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, knowledge and perceptions of malaria, burden and severity of disease, treatment-seeking behavior, malaria prevention practices, and perceptions of government malaria control efforts. The survey was taken by in-person interview of all subjects. Most (97%) subjects were aware of malaria and more than two-thirds correctly identified mosquitoes as the vector. Forty-one percent of households in both forest/hilly and agricultural/urban areas reported malaria illness in the past year. Thirty-six percent (357 households) owned at least one bed net, 92% of these had been purchased by the owners. However, only 36% of households with bed nets affirmed their use as a means of preventing malaria. Nearly all respondents reported a willingness to accept spraying of residual insecticides for malaria prevention, yet less than 5% were willing to pay a nominal fee (US $3) for this service. Fifty-two percent of respondents reported self-treatment of malaria illness without visiting a health facility. This assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices showed a broad awareness of malaria and its consequences among residents of malarial areas in the Menoreh Hills of Central Java.
Received January 11, 2006. Accepted for publication March 28, 2006.
Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Shannon Putman for his thoughtful review.
Financial support: This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance Program. Parsa Sanjana completed this work as part of a master’s thesis at Emory University.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions are those of the authors and do not purport to represent those of the U.S. Navy or Department of Defense.
* Address correspondence to J. Kevin Baird, ALERTAsia Foundation, Eijkman Institute of Molecular Biology, Jalan Diponegoro No. 69, Menteng, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia. E-mail: jkevinbaird{at}yahoo.com
Authors’ addresses: Parsa Sanjana, Family Health International, 3100 Connecticut Ave NW, #220 Washington, DC 20008. Mazie J. Barcus, Hydas World Health, 2061 Winged Foot Court, Reston, VA 20191. Michael J. Bangs, U.S. Navy Disease Vector Ecology and Control Center Bangor, 2850 Thresher Avenue, Silverdale, WA 98315-0304. Sahat Ompusunggu, Harijani Marwoto, and Sekar Tuti, LITBANGKES, Departemen Kesehatan Jl, Percetakan Negara No. 29, Jakarta 10560 Indonesia. Iqbal Elyazar, U.S. Embassy, Jakarta, Unit 8132, Naval Medical Unit 2, FPO AP 96520-8132. J. Kevin Baird, Director, ALERTAsia Foundation, Eijkman Institute of Molecular Biology, Jalan Diponegoro No. 69, Menteng, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia, E-mail: jkevinbaird{at}yahoo.com. Mohammed Sururi, Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Jl, May, Jend, Sutoyo 17, Purworejo, Indonesia. Soesanto Tjokrosonto, Gadja Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Reprint requests: Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2, American Embassy Jakarta, FPO AP 96520-8132 USA, Attn: Publications Office.
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