INVESTIGATIONS ON THE AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN OWARDS MALARIA AND HIV/AIDS IN ORU EAST AND OGUTA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was carried out to investigate the awareness and perception of pregnant women towards malaria and HIV/AIDS in Oru East and Oguta Local Government Areas of Imo State. Participants for the study were drawn from the two General Hospitals in the area. The study included 237 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the different Hospitals. Data collection involved Questionnaires Administration. Results showed that 49.36% strongly agreed and 35.02% agreed that the best way to prevent malaria is avoiding mosquito bites, 51.05% strongly agreed while 36.70% agreed that sleeping under a mosquito net during the night is one way to prevent malaria, 46.41% strongly agreed and 28.27% agreed that one might be at a greater risk of getting malaria if one works or sleeps overnight in the garden/forest, 59.51% strongly agreed while 24.05%  agreed that one should visit the Health Centre to test for malaria as soon as he/she suspects malaria symptoms. Respondents who agreed that HIV/AIDS was curable was 16.45% while 83.96% of the respondents said that HIV/AIDS was not curable. Also, 53.84% of those who said that HIV/AIDS was curable said that it was curable spiritually. 17.94% said through traditional healers, while 25.64% said it was curable through orthodox medicine. The study recommends the need to strengthen public health education and promotion to generate positive health behavior among pregnant women in Oru East and Oguta LGAs and environs.