Investigating Practices Predisposing Fish Farmers to Malaria Infection: An Analytical Cross Section Survey of Mongu and Limulunga Districts of Western Province of Zambia
Year: 2023
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted between humans through the bite of the infected female Anopheles mosquito. Zambia has recently experienced a growing demand for fish, which is largely triggered by the growing population and an emergent urban middle class within Zambia and neighbouring countries. Various fish farming practices are conducted on small-scale, smallholder and commercial levels. Western Province is among the provinces in Zambia where fish farming is done. In 2014, Zambia became the sixth largest producer of farmed fish (mainly breams – a local name for tilapia) in Africa and the largest in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) between 2012 and 2015. From 2012 to 2015, malaria prevalence started to increase from 12.6% to 15.6% in the Western Province of Zambia. This study set out to investigate the practices of fish farmers that predispose them to malaria infection in Mongu and Limulunga districts of Western Province of Zambia. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used as the data collection tool. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Out of a total of 75 fish farmers, 83% of the participants had good knowledge of malaria, while 17% had poor knowledge, and an association was found between the two highest levels of education (Tertiary and Secondary) and knowledge of malaria according to the chi-squared test (p<0.005) and also showed that 73% (n=55) had their ponds near their houses and 3% (n=20) had their ponds far from their houses. The practices such as lack of draining of ponds, working around the ponds at night without protective clothing and having ponds near households predispose fish farmers to malaria infection in Mongu and Limulunga districts in Western Province, Zambia. Collectively, 21% of the fish farmers practice unsafe fish farming, potentially adding to malaria transmission levels in Western Province of Zambia
Authors: Ellah Zingani, Lungowe M Nakweba
Institution: University of Zambia
Language: English
Topic: Malaria Research and Control
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4396599593