A community-based evaluation of selected malaria health education printed materials in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

Introduction: Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries, with sub-Saharan Africa carrying the highest per capita burden of this disease in the world. In line with the World Health Organisation's Global Strategy for Malaria Control, which emphasises the empowerment of local communities in health decision making and positive health seeking behaviour, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health developed two malaria health education materials. These health education materials have since never been systematically evaluated in terms of their content, the target groups reached, and the appropriateness of the health education messages provided. The aim of this project was thus to evaluate these existing malaria health education printed materials, including their efficacy in communicating appropriate, understandable and relevant messages at community level in the malarias region of Jozini in northern KwaZulu-Natal.