DETERMINANTS OF MALARIA OUTBREAK IN BURE DISTRICT, ILU ABABORA ZONE, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA: COMMUNITY BASED UNMATCHED CASE CONTROL STUDY

ADVISORS: Mr. BEFIRDU MULATU (BSc., MPH) Background: Malaria, caused by Plasmodium protozoan parasites transmitted through mosquito bites, has resulted in over 7.3 million cases in Ethiopia, leading to 1,157 deaths and a case fatality rate of 0.02%. This high prevalence results in lost workdays, increased school absenteeism, and complications such as anaemia and preterm births in pregnant women. So that, this study was identifying significant gaps contributing to malaria outbreak in the Bure District of Ilu Ababora Zone.<br> Objective: This study aims to identify the factors contributing to malaria outbreaks in Bure District, Ilu Ababora Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, from February 20 to March 18, 2025.<br> Method: A community-based case-control study design was employed. Data were collected from residents in Bure District using a systematic random sampling technique to select participants, resulting in a sample size of 256 individuals, with 128 cases and 128 controls. The data were entered into Epi Data and exported to SPSS for analysis. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify variables for multivariable logistic regression at p-value &lt; 0.25. All candidate explanatory variables were assessed using a multivariable logistic regression model, reporting adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the strength of associations, with significance set at p &lt; 0.05.<br> Results: The response rate of study participants were 96.1%, with mean ages of 34.1 years (± 12.1) for cases and 37.8 years (± 12.4) for controls. Male sex (AOR = 2.16; 95% CI 1.375-3.43), non-formal educated (AOR = 2.41; 95% CI 1.12-6.39), presence of stagnant water near living areas (AOR = 2.74; 95% CI 1.18-5.85) and staying outdoors at night (AOR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.28-3.48) were to be found a significant predictor for malaria outbreak.<br> Conclusion: This study was identified male sex, non-formal education, stagnant water, and staying outdoor night time as key predictors of malaria outbreaks in Bure district and majority of those factors were modifiable. Therefore, community education specifically targeting non-formal educated population units, eliminating stagnant water sources, use of long sleeves during outdoor activities at night will prevent happening of malaria outbreak.<br> Keywords: Determinants, malaria outbreak, Bure District, Ethiopia.