Malaria Risk Factors, Prevention and Treatment Practices among Residents of Selected Communities in Gombe State, Nigeria

Malaria remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, where socio-demographic factors, domestic housing conditions, vector control practices, and treatment-seeking behaviors heavily influence regional transmission and case management outcomes. This study evaluated malaria risk factors, vector prevention strategies, health-seeking behaviors, and treatment compliance across three Local Government Areas (LGAs) (Gombe, Kwami, and Funakaye) in Gombe State, Nigeria. A structured cross-sectional survey was administered to 967 respondents across Gombe (n = 325), Kwami (n = 338), and Funakaye (n = 304). Data on socio-demographic characteristics, household crowding indicators, insecticide-treated net (ITN) utilization, secondary vector control measures, self-medication, and antimalarial prescription compliance were collected and analyzed using Chi-square (χ²) tests of independence (p < 0.05). Socio-demographic analysis revealed significant cross-LGA variation in age group (χ² = 48.404, p = 0.001), gender distribution (χ² = 10.644, p = 0.005), marital status (χ² = 9.686, p = 0.047), educational level (χ² = 11.272, p = 0.024), and occupation (χ² = 48.112, p = 0.001). Among household risk factors, the number of persons sharing a bed varied significantly (χ² = 15.023, p = 0.001), with 57.4% overall sharing a bed with two people. Although ITN ownership was high overall (72.3%, n = 699/967), the number of ITNs owned per household differed significantly across LGAs (χ² = 73.481, p = 0.001), and only 58.2% of owners reported consistent (