Factors associated with malaria among 3 to 59 months old children in Boromo and Gaoua Health Districts, Burkina, 2020

Introduction: Every 75 seconds, a child under the age of 5 years dies of malaria throughout the world. Burkina Faso is ravaged by malaria and has responded to the disease by implementing several strategies including Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC). In order to make available baseline data for the study on the efficacy of supervised 3 doses SMC distribution, this study was intended to identify malaria-associated factors in children from 0 to 59 months old in the two health districts. Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study, a first step of a quasi-experimental study that was conducted in Boromo and Gaoua. Data were collected outside of SMC campaigns. A logistic regression calculated the odds ratios with a level of ɑ= 0.05. Results: Age groups of 11-23 months (aOR =2.08, 95% CI = [2.02- 2.38]), 24-59 months (aOR= 2.28, 95% CI = [2.11-2.71], P<0.0001); past history of fever (aOR=92.43 95% CI = [37.98-224.92]), p<0.0001; ≥5km distance from village to healthcare center (aOR=4.71, 95% CI = [1.43, 15.45] , p=0.01), sleeping under a long-lasting insecticide-treated net during the last night (aOR= 0.49, 95% CI =[0.28-0.69], P=<0.0001) were associated with malaria. Conclusion: Several strategies to respond better to malaria should be implemented in these two districts in order to eliminate malaria. These should target the parents of children whose age is at least one year, living far from healthcare centers, and focus on the use of insecticide-treated nets and the need to send every child with a fever to a healthcare centre.