Prevalence of Malaria and Associated Risk Factors Among Patients Visiting the Primary Health Care at Saudi Arabia 2022

Abstract

Background:

Malaria infection still represents a notable public health risk in Saudi Arabia, malaria is among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among under five children in developing countries. Saudi Arabia has set targets for controlling and eliminating malaria through at-risk group interventions. However, the disease remains a serious public health concern in endemic areas. Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites that belong to the Genus Plasmodium that aretransmitted to human via the bite of infected female anopheles mosquito.The distribution and transmission of malaria in Saudi Arabia varies from place to place. Risk of malaria is highest in the lowlands; malaria is a health hazard, even in non-malaria endemic regions.  Patients either returning from malaria endemic countries and/or for whom malaria was suspected, had blood films microscopically screened for malaria parasites. Malaria prevalence was very low.  More than 80% of the total populations are at risk of malaria in the 22 countries in Asia and the Pacific. South Asia alone is home to an estimated 1.4 billion people at risk of contracting malaria.

Aim of the study:To assessed prevalence of malaria and associated risk factors among patients visiting the primary health care at Saudi Arabia 2022.

Methods: Across sectional descriptive study conducted among patients visiting the primary health care at Saudi Arabia, during the February to March, 2022, the Sample size of patients. Our total participants were (300).

Results: Shows that the majority of participants approximately (38.0%) were aged from 30-35 years regarding sex, more than half of participant (57.0%) were male regarding family size the majority of participant (68.0%) were >5  regarding marital status, the majority of participant (52.0%) were married regarding the educational level, this table reveals that approximately of participant (31.0%) regarding income, most of participants (41.0%) were have more than >10000 SR monthly regarding the  Sources of knowledge about malaria fever the majority of participant Communication Web-sites were (40%).

Conclusion:Malaria, a lethal vector-borne protozoan disease, is transmitted by the female anopheles mosquito. It is a prevalent disease in subtropical and tropical countries, and an increased health hazard for patients. It is a resurgent disease even in non-malaria endemic areas, such as the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Malaria is one of the major infections and causes of hospitalization for patients   returning from subtropics and tropics