Abstract
The study aimed to explore sociocultural factors influencing the risk of malaria and practices and beliefs towards malaria prevention, transmission and treatment in a remote village in Khatyad Rural Municipality (KRM) of Nepal. A sequential exploratory mixed methods approach was used. Qualitative data were collected through 25 one-on-one, in-depth interviews followed by a face-to-face household survey (n = 218) among people from a village in KRM believed to have a high risk of malaria. Traditional practices such as Chhaupadi requiring the seclusion of women during menstruation and post-partum, transhumance, and reliance on traditional healers for the management of malaria were common practices in the village. The household survey found 98.1% of women faced menstrual exile either inside the house or in a separate hut, with 64.2% not having access to Long-lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs). Hardships and economic constraints compelled villagers to migrate seasonally for work to malaria-endemic areas in India, thereby exposing themselves to the risk of malaria. Persistent traditional beliefs and seasonal migration could threaten the elimination goals set by the national malaria program.
DOI
10.3390/ijerph192416872
Publication Date
2022-12-15
Publication Title
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume
19
Issue
24
Publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
1660-4601
Embargo Period
2024-11-19
Recommended Citation
Awasthi, K., Jancey, J., Clements, A., Sah, R., & et al. (2022) 'Traditional Beliefs, Practices, and Migration: A Risk to Malaria Transmission in Rural Nepal', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24). MDPI AG: Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416872
