Table 3 Perceptions regarding malaria among study participants (n = 469)
Perception regarding malaria | Agree | Not sure | Disagree | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | n | % | n | % | n | % |
Perceive susceptibility | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Everyone can contract with malaria infection | 329 | 70.15 | 74 | 15.78 | 66 | 14.07 |
 Malaria causing by karma (–) | 61 | 13.01 | 136 | 29.00 | 272 | 58.00 |
 Malaria is a community health problem | 276 | 58.85 | 145 | 30.92 | 48 | 10.23 |
 Malaria prevention is duty of health officers (–) | 162 | 34.54 | 146 | 31.13 | 161 | 34.33 |
 Rich person usually does not infect malaria (–) | 45 | 9.59 | 104 | 22.17 | 320 | 68.23 |
Perceive severity | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Children have more severe malaria than adult | 94 | 20.04 | 296 | 63.11 | 79 | 16.84 |
 Drinking alcohol can relieve the malaria (–) | 44 | 9.38 | 177 | 37.74 | 248 | 52.88 |
 Local people do not die from malaria (–) | 103 | 21.96 | 256 | 54.58 | 110 | 23.45 |
 Malaria can cause death | 160 | 34.12 | 193 | 41.15 | 116 | 24.73 |
Perceive benefit | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 House spraying can prevent malaria | 249 | 53.09 | 165 | 35.18 | 55 | 11.73 |
 To be radically cured, patient must completely take the treatment | 302 | 64.39 | 132 | 28.14 | 35 | 7.46 |
Perceive barrier | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
 Anti-malarial medicines may have side effects | 172 | 36.67 | 236 | 50.32 | 61 | 13.01 |
 Do not take anti-malarial drugs with some fruits, such as durian or lime (–) | 196 | 41.79 | 201 | 42.86 | 72 | 15.35 |
 Free treatment makes people not to complete the treatment | 165 | 35.18 | 189 | 40.30 | 115 | 24.52 |