Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of traditional medicine for treating malaria among residents of Woreta Town, Amhara Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Traditional medicine (TM) refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs that incorporate remedies from plants, animals, and minerals, along with spiritual therapies, manual techniques, and exercises used to diagnose, treat, or prevent illnesses, including malaria. In resource-limited settings, including Ethiopia, TM continues to serve as an alternative treatment option for both infectious and non-infectious diseases, such as malaria. However, the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to the use of TM have not been adequately assessed in many communities. To assess the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice regarding the Use of Traditional Medicine for the Treatment of Malaria among Residents of Woreta Town, Amhara Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia, 2024. A descriptive, community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among residents of Woreta Town from January to June 2024. A simple random sampling method was employed to select the study participants. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured standardized questionnaire developed from a review of similar published articles in the field. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 27. Frequency distributions, means, and percentages were used to present the results. Of the 390 study participants interviewed, all 390 (100%) responded and were included in the final analysis. The results revealed that 259 participants (66.4%) believed that visiting a modern medicine practitioner soon after receiving TM could be beneficial. Most respondents (254, or 65.1%) reported being aware of plants commonly used as anti-malarial agents, including Bisana (27.9%), Girawa (26.7%), Nechshinkurt (14.6%), papaya (4.6%), and Shifarraw (20.1%). Additionally, 33 respondents (19.28%) reported awareness of animal byproducts, such as goat bile, as effective treatments for acute malaria attacks. In comparison, 12 respondents (3.1%) mentioned that certain TM preparations, such as Yekoye Kibe, might also be effective as anti-malarial agents. Generally, this study in Woreta Town, Ethiopia, revealed high community awareness and belief in the efficacy of traditional malaria remedies, with many also recognizing the benefit of integrating TM with modern medicine.