Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, Prevention Practices, and Self-Reported Malaria Prevalence Among Summer Degree...

Malaria remains a major public health problem in Ethiopia, affecting all population groups including educated professionals such as university students. Understanding knowledge, attitudes, and prevention practices among these study participants is crucial for designing effective interventions. This study is aimed at assessing self-report prevalence, knowledge, attitude, prevention practices, and related factors of malaria among summer students pursuing bachelor's degrees at Debre Markos University from July to September 2025.

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 366 study participants using a structured questionnaire to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics and malaria-related knowledge, attitudes, prevention practices, and its self-report prevalence. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with malaria prevalence.

Among 366 study participants, 63.7% were male, and 50.83% were aged 30-39 years. The majority (70.5%) resided in rural areas of the East Gojjam, West Gojjam, and Awi zones, as well as areas surrounding Bahir Dar City in the Amhara Region. Overall, 16.7% of participants tested positive for malaria between April and June 2025. Regarding knowledge, 75.4% demonstrated satisfactory awareness of malaria, and 82.8% correctly identified its causative agent. However, knowledge about insecticide-treated net (ITN) utilization and appropriate treatment-seeking behavior was limited. In terms of attitudes, 74.86% recognized malaria as a serious health problem, and 71.04% agreed on the importance of ITN use. Despite this, preventive practices were inadequate: only 71.58% reported consistent ITN use, 39.07% sought treatment at health facilities, and 15.57% completed the full course of antimalarial medication. Rural residence, inconsistent ITN use, and failure to eliminate mosquito breeding sites were significantly associated with malaria prevalence (p < 0.05).

Malaria remains a significant public health concern even among educated populations in the study area. The findings highlight gaps in prevention practices and treatment compliance despite good knowledge and attitudes. Strengthening behavioral interventions, promoting consistent ITN use, and enhancing community-based awareness programs are essential to reduce malaria transmission among university students and rural communities.