Table 4 Knowledge about treatment policies for severe malaria and artesunate use, by survey round
From: Monitoring health systems readiness and inpatient malaria case-management at Kenyan county hospitals
Health workers’ knowledge [correct responses in brackets] | Round 1 N = 185 | Round 2 N = 182 | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
n (%) | n (%) | ||
Treatment policy for severe malaria | |||
 Children and non-pregnant adults [AS] | 136 (73.5) | 156 (85.7) | 0.002 |
 First trimester of pregnancy [AS] | 80 (43.2) | 98 (53.9) | 0.085 |
 Second and third trimester of pregnancy [AS] | 97 (52.4) | 116 (63.7) | 0.067 |
 Follow on treatment [AL] | 167 (90.3) | 159 (87.4) | 0.245 |
Artesunate preparation | |||
 Preferred AS administration route [IV slow bolus] | 140 (75.7) | 149 (81.9) | 0.110 |
 AS reconstitution solution [bicarbonate] | 141 (76.2) | 152 (83.5) | 0.100 |
 AS dilution solution [saline or 5% dextrose] | 138 (74.6) | 135 (74.2) | 0.932 |
Artesunate dosing for child < 20 kg | |||
 Recommended [3 mg/kg] | 79 (42.7) | 117 (64.6)a | < 0.001 |
 Below recommendation | 75 (40.5) | 41 (22.7)a | 0.002 |
 Above recommendation | 3 (1.6) | 6 (3.3)a | 0.417 |
 Doesn’t know | 28 (15.1) | 17 (9.4)a | 0.105 |
Artesunate dosing for patient > 20 kg | |||
 Recommended [2.4 mg/kg] | 130 (70.3) | 147 (80.8) | 0.052 |
 Below recommendation | 3 (1.6) | 0 | 0.084 |
 Above recommendation | 29 (15.7) | 18 (9.9) | 0.151 |
 Doesn’t know | 23 (12.4) | 17 (9.3) | 0.404 |
Artesunate treatment duration | |||
 Minimum number of AS doses [3] | 160 (86.5) | 155 (85.2) | 0.691 |
 Time interval between first three doses [12 hourly] | 84 (45.4) | 114 (62.6) | 0.001 |
 Maximum days of AS if unable to take orally [7] | 80 (43.2) | 98 (53.9) | 0.047 |