The Human Behavioral and Socioeconomic Determinants of Malaria in Bacan Island, North Maluku, Indonesia

Abstract

In eastern Indonesia, malaria control activities mainly depend on residual spraying but the situation is almost unchanged since the past decade. Understanding the socioeconomic and human behavior determinants is needed to implement an effective malaria control in accordance with the local condition and development. Hence we conducted an unmatched case control study. Two hundred samples were recruited from all, 11 villages surrounding the centre in Bacan island, Maluku. For children aged 0 to 15 years old, the association of socioeconomic determinants: crowding and poor type of houses with malaria remained significant in the multivariate analysis. Meanwhile for persons above 15 years old, younger persons and regular going outside at night remained significant in the multivariate analysis. And for persons above 15 years old, a higher proportion of controls (14%) than cases (4%) slept under mosquito net regularly. The Indonesia Family Program should be promoted. There was a better quality of life in small family. For persons above 15 years old, going outside at night should be discouraged because exposed to mosquito bites. The malaria control strategy use of effective personal, regular use of mosquito net could be used as a completion for the present activities. Considering the low malaria knowledge among samples, inhabitants should be enhanced the malaria knowledge on causation, transmission, prevention and to provide proper knowledge on residual spraying. J Epidemiol, 2000 ; 10 : 280-289.