Health Education by Buddhist Monks to Promote Malaria Knowledge and Preventive Practices in Rural Myanmar

Malaria is still a leading public health concern in Myanmar. However, people living in rural areas usually showed poor prevention practice despite residing in malaria hotspots. The majority in Myanmar are Buddhists who frequently visit the monastery and receive the speech delivered by the monks. In a malaria high burden township of the Sagaing Region from northern Myanmar, current study will first explore the difference in malaria preventive practices among people residing in different malaria-endemic villages through a mixed-methods approach. Next, this research will address the knowledge gaps by a monastery-based health education delivered by trained Buddhist monks using standardized health messages instruction for six consecutive months between August 2022 to January 2023. To test whether the intervention could balance those gaps among different groups, quantitative data of baseline, 3-month, and 6-month will be compared using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, T-test or repeated ANOVA, and the Difference-In-Differences (DID) analysis, as applicable.

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Key information

Conditions

Buddhist Monks Adherence Interventions Behavior Health Behavior Health Education Infections Malaria Medication Adherence Monastery-based Mosquito-Borne Diseases Myanmar Parasitic Diseases Patient Acceptance of Health Care Patient Compliance Preventive Practice Protozoan Infections Treatment Adherence and Compliance Vector Borne Diseases

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Myanmar Health Network Organization

Yangon, 11091, Burma

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

For educational intervention; - voluntary participation

For questionnaire surveys;

male or female household leaders or immediate family members
aged >18 years who had resided in the study villages for more than one year

Exclusion criteria

For questionnaire surveys;

Individuals who were unable to communicate effectively or were under the influence of narcotics, including alcohol

Treatment and study plan

Monastery-based health education by Buddhist monks

Behavioral

During the three-month intervention from July to September 2022, a total of 18 health education sessions were conducted across the three intervention villages, with an average of 50 attendees per session, totaling 921 attendees across all sessions.

Primary outcomes

Malaria knowledge and preventive practices

Time frame: Pre intervention (July 2022), 3-month post-intervention (Dec 2022) and 6-month post-intervention (Mar 2023)

To assess pre-existing malaria knowledge and preventive practices among both intervention and control groups, pre-intervention surveys were conducted. Subsequently, three- and six-month post-intervention surveys were conducted to evaluate changes following the intervention. A validated questionnaire translated from English to Burmese was used. The questionnaire comprised three sections: demographic information of the respondents, knowledge of malaria and preventive practices. Each section had multiple small questions, and each correct answer was scored. The resultant scores were aggregated, wherein every participant had the potential to accrue a maximum of ten points pertaining to the attribution of malaria causation, symptoms of malaria, and adoption of personal preventative measures against malaria. The participants were eligible to secure eight points in the domain of malaria diagnosis and treatment, alongside twelve scores for the use of LLINs.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Myanmar Health Network Organization

Other

Collaborators

Chulalongkorn University
Ministry of Health and Sports, Myanmar

Registry information

Official study title

Monastery-based Health Education by Buddhist Monks to Promote Malaria Knowledge and Preventive Practices in Rural Myanmar: A Quasi-experimental Study

Important dates

Study start: 2022
Primary completion: 2023
Study completion: 2024
First posted: Apr 26, 2024
Registry last updated: Apr 29, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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