Journal of Vector Borne Diseases (Sep 2007)
Sociocultural factors and malaria in the desert part of Rajasthan, India
Abstract
Background & objectives: Malaria is a new emerging problem of Indian Thar Desert. The study wasattempted to find out some sociocultural factors associated with malaria transmission in this regionand to supplement social solutions to ongoing malaria control efforts in the desert part of Rajasthan.Methods: Interview technique was used for data collection on pre-tested schedules. In all 30 households(15 from low socioeconomic group and the same number of households from the high socioeconomicgroup) in a village were selected following systematic random sampling technique. A total of 450respondents were selected randomly in 15 villages of Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan.Results: One-third of the respondents had neither taken treatment for malaria nor took part in the vectorcontrol operations because they did not consider mosquito bites to be harmful and took malaria as amild disease. Outdoor sleeping habits, sharing bed with children, uneasy and suffocation feeling inusing mosquito bednets or any other protective device also contributed to the spread of malaria in thestudy villages.Interpretation & conclusion: Community should be educated as a whole particularly the low socioeconomicgroup of people to bring changes in their beliefs, sociocultural and health practices to protectthemselves from mosquito bites by using bednets, repellents and other devices, such as wire meshscreening of house doors and windows.
