Knowledge and Practice on Malaria among Korean Soldiers in Nearby Demilitarized Zone in South Korea
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to provide evidence for developing intervention and effective management for the prevention of malaria based on epidemiological analysis and assessment of Korean soldiers’ knowledge on malaria and malaria preventive behavior.
Methods: The data were collected from 294 Korean soldiers nearby the demilitarized zone in Gyeonggi Province in 2016. Multiple regression analyses were applied for statistical analysis.
Results: The level of education (β=.24, P<.001), educational experience on malaria (β=.21, P<.001) and ranks like corporal (β=.13, P<.05), and sergeant (β=.13, P<.05) were observed to be associated with the level of knowledge of malaria (F=9.62, =.12, P<.001). Knowledge of malaria (β=.25, P<.001) and malaria education experience (β=.22, P<.001) were the factors that influenced malaria prevention behavior and practice (F=12.45, =.18, P<.001).
Conclusion: The level of knowledge and education experience was associated with malaria prevention practice. Therefore, malaria education is very important for the soldiers in nearby DMZ for prevention of malaria. The findings provide implications for the development of intervention programs focusing on increasing the levels of knowledge and practices related to malaria.
WHO (2014). World malaria report 2014. www.who int/malaria/publications/world_malaria_report_2014/en/
Kho WG (2007). Reemergence of Malaria in Korea. J Korean Med Assoc, 50 (11): 959-66.
Lee KS, Kim TH, Kim ES et al (2009). Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax in the Republic of Korea. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 80 (2): 215-7.
Yeom JS, Park JW (2008). Status of vivax malaria after re-emergence in South Korea. Infect Chemother, 40 (4):191-8.
KCDC (2014). Epidemiological investigation of infectious diseases in Korea annual report 2013. Korea Center for Disease Control.
Chai I, Lim G, Yoon S, Oh W, Kim S, Chai J (1994). Occurrence of tertian malaria in a male patient who has never been abroad. Korean J Parasitol, 32 (3): 195-200.
Park JW, Kim YA, Yeom JS, Yoo JS, Yang BG, Chai JY (2001). Status of Vivax Malaria in the Republic of Korea in 2000. Korean J Infect Dis, 33 (4): 280-4.
Chai JY (1997). Reemergence of Malaria in Korea. J Korean Med Assoc, 40 (6): 728-33.
Yeom J-S, Kim T-S, Oh S et al (2007). Plasmodium vivax malaria in the Republic of Korea during 2004–2005: changing patterns of infection. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 76 (5): 865-8.
KCDC (2012). AFMRI. Military malaria seminar.
Park JW, Hong JY, Yeom JS, Cho SR, Oh DK (2009). Evaluation of the Current Status of Malaria Elimination Project in the Republic of Korea and Suggestion for Improvement of its Efficacy. Infect Chemother, 41 (1): 42-53.
Dhawan G, Joseph N, Pekow PS, Rogers CA, Poudel KC, Bulzacchelli MT (2014). Malaria-related knowledge and prevention practices in four neighbourhoods in and around Mumbai, India: a cross-sectional study. Malaria J, 13: 303.
Hlongwana KW, Mabaso ML, Kunene S, Govender D, Maharaj R (2009). Community knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on malaria in Swaziland: a country earmarked for malaria elimination. Malaria J, 8:29.
Sohn A, Park S (2012). HIV/AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, and related behaviors and factors that affect stigmatizing attitudes against HIV/AIDS among Korean adolescents. Osong Public Health Res Perspec, 3 (1): 24-30.
KCDC (2008). Risk factors of malaria in Ganghwa. Korea Center for Disease Control.
Files | ||
Issue | Vol 46 No 9 (2017) | |
Section | Original Article(s) | |
Keywords | ||
Malaria DMZ Knowledge Attitude Practice |
Rights and permissions | |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |