Determinants of pregnant women intention to respect the optimal timeframe for intermittent preventive treatment to Sulfadoxine pyrimethamine against malaria

Abstract

Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), precisely among children under five years and pregnant women who do not receive necessary preventive or curative care. The aim of this study was to identify the psychosocial factors explaining the intention of pregnant women to respect the optimal timeframe of Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) for malaria. This was an analytical study, of correlational descriptive type. In this study, 108 pregnant women who initiated their antenatal care services in the structures of the Lemba Health Zone to benefit for the TPI to Sulfadoxine Pyrimethamine (SP) were surveyed. The structured interview and the seven-level Likert scale were used for data collection. The findings revealed that the mean age of our respondents was 27.33 4.8 years, 84.3% were married, 50% had a high school education, 74% were unaware of the calendar of IPT for malaria and 70.4% know that a pregnant woman must start the antenatal in her first trimester. Behavioral beliefs ( = 0.236) and control beliefs ( = 0.235) correlate with the intention. On the other hand, the importance attributed to facilitating or detrimental factors ( = 0.131) and normative beliefs ( = 0.038) didn't correlate with the intention. Malaria constitutes a great danger for pregnant woman and the knowledge of the IPT to SP is very important for the well-being of these women as well as of their future baby.