Applied Statistics, Mathematical and Statistical Modeling, Conservation Biology, Ecology and Ethnobotany

Impact of population’s opinions and behaviors of malaria prevention methods on malaria transmission and burden

Malaria continues to be a major public health issue, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where it contributes to significant morbidity and mortality. While various preventive measures such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) have been implemented, the effectiveness of these interventions is influenced by public opinions and behaviors. This study aims to model the impact of population opinions and behaviors regarding malaria prevention methods on malaria transmission and burden. A mathematical model integrating malaria transmission dynamics with population attitudes towards prevention was developed, taking into account factors such as the use of ITNs, IRS, and community responses to preventive campaigns. The model divides the human population into susceptible, exposed, infectious, and recovered individuals, with further stratification based on their preventive behaviors. Malaria and opinion data were sourced from secondary datasets, including the World Malaria Report and the Malaria Indicator Surveys (MIS). The model will help evaluate how variations in public attitudes and preventive measures affect malaria transmission dynamics, providing insights into optimizing intervention strategies to reduce the malaria burden in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of more targeted and behavior-sensitive malaria control policies.