Symptoms associated with common diseases in Saradidi, Kenya

A community-based malaria control programme was initiated in Saradidi, Kenya. One factor determining the utilization of treatment would be the symptoms felt to be diagnostic of malaria. The 12 most common diseases and 29 most common symptoms were identified by community members. Thirty-six randomly selected women were interviewed to determine association of the common diseases and symptoms; nine women were aged 15 to 29 years, nine women were 30 to 40 years, nine were 45 to 59 years and nine were 60 years or more. Women 60 years and older recognized a higher proportion of the diseases (P less than 0.0005) when compared with the other women of other ages. More than 90% of the women associated headache, fever, vomiting, joint pain, loss of appetite, tiredness and death with malaria. Measles and influenza were distinguished from malaria by rash and mouth ulcer for measles and by 'runny nose' and 'sneezing' for influenza. Analysis by average linkage hierarchical clusters revealed that malaria, influenza and measles were distinguished readily. The results suggest that if people in Saradidi do not obtain treatment from community health workers, it is not because they do not recognize the clinical symptoms of malaria.