Impact of health education intervention on the patients’ adherence to malaria Artemisinin- based combination therapy in Kamuli District, Uganda

Abstract Background Global malaria control programmes such as approaches to community engagements to deliver malaria control interventions have been successful in controlling malaria. Malaria remains a disease of public health importance especially in African region and Uganda in particular. Strategies aimed at accelerating patients’ adherence to prescribed Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) treatment are needed in the fight to control and eradicate malaria. Previous studies have shown the power of health education in improving patients’ adherence to ACT. The objective of this study was to establish the impact of a community health education intervention on the patients’ adherence to malaria ACT treatment in Kamuli District, Uganda. Methods A pre-post-test intervention study without a control group was used to understand the impact of community health education training in improving patients’ adherence to ACT. Equal number of 1266 patients were enrolled and assigned into any of the three arms equally (422) – no follow up, follow-up on day 2 and day 4 arm at pre-test and post-test phases. Mann-Whiteny U test was used to establish the impact of the community health education on patients’ adherence to ACT. Statistical significance was established at p p < 0.0001), with higher adherence at post-test (mean = 900.5) than pre-test (mean = 788.5) and small effect (0.156). Conclusion Community health education as an intervention was effective in improving patient’s adherence to ACT in Kamuli Division, Uganda. Although this approach could contribute to the effort of national malaria control and elimination strategy in Uganda, there is need to continuously educate communities about adherence to medicines as prescribed by health care workers since health behavior change takes time.