The Impact of Socio-Cultural and Socio-Economic Activities on the Epidemiology of Malaria in Ogoniland, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

A study on malariasis was conducted between 2005 and 2006 in twelve Ogoni communities(Aleto,Ogale,Ebubu,Nonwa,Sime,Kpite,Kpor,Morgbo,Bodocity,Taabaa,Nyonkuru and Bori) of River State, South-south, Nigeria. These communities were sub-divided into five study zones; Eleme, Tai, Gokana, Khana and Control, based on the number and types of suitable breeding sites for mosquito vector of the disease. The study was aimed at determining the influence of socio-cultural and socio-economic activities on the prevalence of the disease among the Ogonis in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Out of 750 individuals examined for the disease, 381(50.8%) were positive. Of this number, 211(28.1%) were males and 170(22.7%) were females. Questionnaires were systematically administered in the five zones, and 750 responses were received. Results revealed that 372(49.6%) responded positively to aspects of the people’s settlement pattern, 397(52.9%) gave theirs for the people celebrations and festivities; 437(58.3%) went for their religious activities, 444(59.2%) went for the people’s different traditional methods for control of mosquito, as their main socio-cultural activities. In addition, the results included 430(57.3%) positive responses to the people’s different food and drink types and their processing methods, 364(48.5%) went for their different types of occupation, while 372(49.6%) went for the people’s mode of leisure hours, being their socio-economic activities. The findings further revealed that these activities impacted positively on the prevalence of the disease in the study location with significant statistical difference of P<0.05 and <0.01. Urgent intervention measures in terms of treatment regimen, government’s timely educational enlightenment campaigns to discourage such means of exposures to regular mosquito bites, use of standard control methods for the vectors etc, were further advocated in order to improve the health status of the people within the study area.