Assessment of Community Engagement Strategy in Accelerating Malaria Elimination in Zanzibar.

Abbas, Faiza Bwanakheri (2024) Assessment of Community Engagement Strategy in Accelerating Malaria Elimination in Zanzibar. Doctoral thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

Zanzibar is among the few places within East Africa that have documented a significant reduction in malaria morbidity and mortality. Despite tremendous gains over the past decade, malaria transmission persists. This study aimed to assess community engagement strategies for accelerating malaria elimination. It consisted of three phases of population surveys: Phase one assessed the existing situation on the level of community engagement. Phase two implemented door-to-door intervention activities, and in phase three, the post-intervention situation was assessed. This study was informed by Social-ecological and Health Belief theory. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted by administering questionnaires to 431 households. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the study participants. In-depth interviews and Focused group discussions were also conducted to gain more insight. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were done to determine the association between different variables and community engagement. A thematic approach was used for qualitative analysis. A total of 431 heads of household were interviewed. Out of all respondents, only 170 (39%) were involved in planning, implementing, or both planning and implementing malaria interventions. The level of malaria burden and knowledge were significantly associated with community engagement. The door-to-door intervention was perceived as applicable and helpful for promoting community engagement. Keywords: Malaria Elimination, Community Engagement, Zanzibar, Door to door intervention.

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