Investigating the epidemiological factors responsible for malaria transmission dynamics

Abstract

Despite concerted efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) to control malaria, it is still being diagnosed in patients visiting hospitals in Tropical Countries of the World. Hence, this study investigated the risk factors responsible for malaria transmission dynamics through a hospital case study. Data of patients that presented with malaria from June 2019 to December 2020 were acquired from Covenant University Medical Centre in Ota, South West Nigeria. Descriptive statistical analyses were carried out so as to examine the factors associated with malaria incidence rate such as age, gender and travel history using the R programming platform. 14% of the total outpatient visits from June 2019 to December 2020 presented with malaria. Furthermore, the mean of the ages of those that presented with malaria, was 23.10 whereas the median of their ages was 22.0. Out of the total malaria cases, 57.7% were males whereas 42.3% were females. Results also showed that there was a significant positive correlation between malaria and travel. In conclusion, it is recommended that malaria control policy formulators should focus on the most vulnerable group of individuals as identified in this study. Further, more efforts should be geared towards curbing malaria importation as a result of human travel, by the different health authorities across the globe.