[Sociocultural etiology to guide community control of malaria in Côte d'Ivoire]

In the rural communities of Côte d'Ivoire, malaria control is guided by the sociocultural etiology or perception of this disease, as we can see by studies conducted in the Baoulé and Gouro communities. These studies show that these communities establish a link between the sun, excessive oil consumption, agricultural activities, disease, and lack of hygiene. Mosquitoes, however, are not identified as the cause of malaria but rather as an insect noxious by their noise and painful bites. These populations use both traditional and modern means to move mosquitoes away from their homes. Analysis of this social reality shows that the battle against malaria in rural areas is not simply a problem of health education. It is thus important in developing malaria control programmes to adopt a strategy that links community participation and health education.