Community Knowledge, Perceptions and Experiences on Healthcare Services for Malaria Prevention and Treatment in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

This paper analyses community knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of effectiveness of healthcare service provision on malaria prevention/treatment in two disease-endemic villages of the Okavango Delta panhandle in northern Botswana. A stratified random sampling of 355 households was conducted in October-November 2015. Follow-up retrospective cohort interviews were undertaken in August 2016 from 79 households that reported malaria incidences during the household survey. Data were also collected from 16 key informant interviews and 2 focus group discussions participants. Descriptive statistics and content analyses were used to summarise quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Results indicate that communities in the study sites had positive perceptions about efficiency of health services based on availability, accessibility and utilization, adequacy of prevention and treatment interventions. Local health clinics were crucial information channels used by respondents. Additionally, factors related to acceptability, availability and accessibility are likely to contribute to perceived effectiveness of the interventions provided by healthcare service providers. Affirmation of efficiency health service provision against malaria has public health implications for adherence to treatment/prevention and participation in community health education campaigns and program implementation in the Okavango Delta region.