Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients by country 2013 (N = 994)
From: Treatment-seeking patterns for malaria in pharmacies in five sub-Saharan African countries
Ghana (n = 199) | Kenya (n = 195) | Nigeria (n = 200) | Tanzania (n = 200) | Uganda (n = 200) | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patient characteristics | ||||||
Sex ratio M:W | 0.69 | 1.11 | 0.94 | 0.96 | 0.82 | 0.17 |
Age (years) | ||||||
≤5 | 17.4 | 14.2 | 11.6 | 12.4 | 13.1 | |
6–16 | 10.6 | 17.0 | 13.3 | 18.9 | 23.1 | 0.01 |
≥17 | 72.0 | 68.8 | 75.1 | 68.7 | 63.8 | |
History of illness | ||||||
Presence of fever before attending outlet | 98.5 | 90.0 | 100 | 82.0 | 96.0 | p < 10−4 |
Mean days with fever (SD) | 2.6 (2.9) | 2.5 (1.5) | 3.4 (1.8) | 2.0 (2.1) | 4.1 (5.0) | p < 10−4 |
Location of malaria diagnosis | ||||||
Self-diagnosis | 83.4 | 35.5 | 38.5 | 2.0 | 11.3 | |
Health facility | 15.6 | 49.2 | 39.5 | 95.5 | 78.9 | p < 10−4 |
Pharmacy/drug shop | 1.0 | 13.7 | 20.0 | 2.5 | 9.3 | |
Other | 0 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0 | 0.5 | |
Diagnosis practices | ||||||
Blood test diagnostic | 3.5 | 50.8 | 38.0 | 95.0 | 84.5 | p < 10−4 |
Type of blood test | ||||||
Number | 6 | 73 | 69 | 184 | 152 | |
Rapid diagnostic test | 0 | 32.9 | 34.8 | 42.4 | 28.3 | p < 10−4 |
Microscopy | 100 | 67.1 | 65.2 | 57.6 | 71.7 | |
Positive blood test | 100 | 85.8 | 94.4 | 91.1 | 96.4 | 0.02 |
Drug purchaseda | 100 | 90.0 | 90.8 | 92.7 | 96.5 | 0.69 |
ACT purchaseda | 100 | 96.6 | 88.4 | 69.7 | 55.6 | p < 10−4 |
Antimalarial drug prescription and drug purchased | ||||||
Drug prescribed | 17.6 | 45.1 | 34.0 | 90.0 | 80.0 | p < 10−4 |
Drug purchased | 100 | 86.7 | 92.0 | 92.0 | 96.5 | p < 10−4 |
Outlet characteristics | ||||||
Type of outlet | ||||||
Pharmacy | 88.0 | 100 | 24.6 | 87.5 | 22.5 | |
Drug shop | 6.8 | 0 | 7.5 | 0 | 18.0 | p < 10−4 |
Private health facility | 5.2 | 0 | 5.0 | 12.5 | 59.5 | |
Patent medicine vendor | 0 | 0 | 62.9 | 0 | 0 | |