Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding the Prevention and Control of Malaria in KhyberPakhtunkhwa: An Observational Study

ABSTRACT Background: This Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) study aims to assess local awareness andpreventive behaviors concerning malaria in high-risk areas like Karak District. By evaluating understandingtransmission, symptom recognition, and treatment-seeking behaviors, the study seeks to inform and enhancemalaria control strategies as malaria is one of the most serious global public health challenges, contributingsignificantly to illness and mortality. The insights gained will aid in developing targeted interventions andimproving the effectiveness of malaria control programs. Objective. To assess knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the prevention and control of malaria inlocal population of District Karak. Methods:This cross-sectionalstudywas conductedinTehsilTakht-e-Nasrati,Karakdistrict,KhyberPakhtunkhwa(KPK), using convenience sampling to survey 372 household heads. Data was collected through structuredinterviews, and only respondents who understood Urdu or Pashto were included. Descriptive statistics andFisher's exact tests were used for analysis, with a significance level of p ≤0.05. SPSS version 19 was utilizedfor analysis. Results: The study found that individuals aged 26-35 years were most affected by malaria. Additionally,72.31% of participants were employed and awareness and preventive practicesshowed that 56.45% of participantsdeemed avoiding outdoor sleeping important, 43.28% advocated for insecticide use and mosquito control,and 42.20% used protective measures, with 42.47% employing bed nets or indoor spraying. Conclusions. The study reveals a solid understanding of malaria prevention among the population yetemphasizes the need for improved implementation of protective measures and targeted government actionsto enhance malaria control.