Association between maternal level of education and the treatment with antimalarial drugs in children under the age of 5 in Nigeria : A cross-sectional study

Abstract: Background Malaria is a major threat to global public health, with adverse health effects. Nigeria alone accounts for 25% of the global burden of malaria. Children are especially vulnerable to malaria, and if the disease is not treated it could have fatal consequences. Mothers have an important role in ensuring that adequate and timely treatment is given to the child. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate whether there was an association between maternal level of education and the treatment with antimalarial drugs in malaria positive children under-5 in Nigeria. Methods This study was a cross-sectional study that utilized Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from the 2015 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey. Data on 2’622 malaria positive children were used, and a logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association with maternal level of education. Results The mothers with a higher level of education had two times higher odds (OR 2.31, CI 1.62- 3.32) of making sure their child received treatment with antimalarial drugs, compared to the mothers with no education. With an increase of 38% (OR 1.38, CI 1.11-1.71) in the odds for the child receiving treatment with antimalarial drugs if the mother has primary education and an increase of 51% (OR 1.51, CI 1.24-1.84) if the mother has secondary education compared to mothers with no education. Conclusion Mothers with a higher level of education waere more likely to make sure that their child received treatment with antimalarial drugs, compared to the mothers with no education.