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Analysis of Utilization of Traditional Medicine for the Treatment of Malaria among Rural Farmers in Abia State, Nigeria

The study investigated the level of utilization of traditional medicine for treatment of malaria among rural households in Abia State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study described socio -economic characteristics of the respondents; ascertain the extent of utilization of traditional medicine among the respondents and determine the factors influencing level of usage of traditional medicine in the area. Data for the study were collected from (180) respondents using structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The result showed that 55.0% of the respondents were males, average age of 58.45 years, 81.2% were married and 45.0% had secondary education. The study further revealed that respondents had high access to medicinal plants from market (mean = 2.35) and traditional medical practitioners (mean = 2.36). Tobit regression result showed that coefficient of age, years of education, income and farming experience influenced access to traditional medicine at 1% probability level. The study concluded that there was moderate utilization of traditional medicine for treatment of malaria in the study area, and recommended ensuring appropriate information on traditional medicine efficacy for effective utilization by the farmers in the study area. Keywords— Utilization , Traditional Medicine and


INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is the mainstay of the Nigerian economy. It employs about two-thirds of the country's total labour force, contributing about 45 % of GDP and providing the means of livelihood for over 70 % of the population (IFAD, 2009). Agriculture is also a major source of raw materials for agro-allied industries (Oboh et al, 2009). It is carried out mainly in the rural areas by rural farmers who play several roles in an agrarian country like Nigeria, given their capacity for job creation and local food production (Asenso-Okyere, 2011) About 90 % of Nigearia's food is produced by small-scale farmers who cultivate small plots of land and depend mostly on rainfed agriculture rather than on irrigation systems . Agricultural development provides suitable conditions for breeding of anopheles mosquitoes which is the vector of plasmodium parasite (Asenso-Okyere,et al 2011). Agriculture and health being bi-directionally linked, perpetuate poverty in rural areas, where up to 80 % of the population are farmers and live below the poverty line. Food, social services and infrastructure are limited to the population (IFAD, 2009), they tend to be vulnerable to malnutrition, illiteracy and poor health condition especially in the absence of modern, adequate and functional primary health care facilities. In Nigeria, malaria is endemic and it occurs throughout the year. Traditional medicine is the sum of the total of the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of the health, as well as to prevent diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illness (WHO, 2000). Traditional knowledge plays a significant role in life style of the members of the local communities and hence an essential resource for any human development process. They form the basis of decisions pertaining to food security, human and animal health, education, natural resources management and other vital activities According to Federal Ministry of Health (2005), there are over 100 people at risk of malaria. Nigeria has the third highest rate of maternal mortality in the world (1100 per 100,000) after Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. The major cause of this being ill-health of which malaria scourge is distinguished (USAID, 2008) Attitude toward malaria as a disease is important in understanding healthseeking behaviour and utilization of preventive methods.
Many rural people do not trust Western method medicine, preferring instead to use traditional ways which is an alternative or non-conventional mode of treatment involving the use of herbs in a non-orthodox manner, as well as the process of consulting herbalists, mediums, priests, witchdoctors, medicine men and various local deities (Mafimisebi and Oguntade, 2010). Good knowledge, attitude and practices of any public health disease by individuals and communities seems necessary if effective treatment and preventive measures are to be realistic (Iwueze et. al., 2013). These treatments are usually incorrect or sub-optimal since they are most times administered without proper diagnos is (Okeoluwapo et. al., 2008). Malaria is usually first treated at home with herbal teas and baths prepared with neem, pawpaw, guava, and eucalyptus leaves. Analysis of "what respondents will do first" during malaria attack showed that only 35.5 percent of respondents will use synthetic antimalarial drugs, 13.4 percent will use local herbs, while 27.3 percent will go to the hospital, and 18.2 percent will just pray (Asenso-Okyere et. al.,2009). Utilization of traditional medicine is complex and varies among member states. It is important to take into consideration the utilization pattern of a location in other to ensure that the information developed will be effective and appropriate to the specific country location and their culture . Reliance on herbs as the first treatment action for malaria was also noted in South-east Nigeria upon which this paper intends to ascertain the extent of utilization of Traditional Medicine for the Treatment of Malaria among Rural Farmers in Abia State through the following specific objectives 1 ascertain the extent of utilization of traditional medicine among the respondents, 2 identify the problems associated with traditional medicine practice and utilization HO1: There is a significant relationship between some socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and utilization of traditional medicine. HO2: There is no significant difference between farmers' level of access and utilization of traditional medicine The major occupation of this people is farming, with other occupations like civil services, and businesses. It is a low-land with a heavy rainfall of about 2,400mm between May and October, which favours agricultural activities. These Local Government Area is blessed with several inland water channels and seasonal run-offs. It has a tropical climate with average temperature of 7.20c from January to April and over 21.10c from September to December. The great variety of plants in L.G.A reflects its rich soil and topography. Major food and cash crops produced include cassava, yam, plantain and oil palm. Other economic activities engaged by the people include, handcrafts and petty businesses. (Imo Bulletin, 2006). Multi-stage random sampling technique was used in selecting 180 (one hundred and eighty) respondents in the study area. In the first stage, two local government areas were purposively selected from Abia State, namely Bende, and Ohafia. In the second stage, one autonomous community was selected from each of the Local Government Area. In the third stage, two (2) villages were randomly selected from each of the selected autonomous communities making a total of eight (6) villages. In the third stage, 30 respondents were randomly selected from the villages selected. This will give a sum total of eighty (180) respondents which made up the sample size for the study, Both descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze the data collected for the study MODEL SPECIFICATION The model for the mean decision used in this work is specified thus: ∑ = Summation of the frequencies Xs = Assigned scores to different categories n = number of sample X ̅ = Arithmetic mean Hypothesis 1 and 2 were analyzed using Tobit regression estimates which is specified thus:  The result Table 1.1 showed distribution of the respondents based on their level of utilization of medicinal medicine in the study area. Generally, the respondents had high level of utilization of medicinal plants in the study area. The respondents highly utilized medicinal plant in the areas of drinking of boiled concoction from roots and leaves to cure malaria (mean = 2.46), drinking of boiled concoction made from unripe fruits to cure malaria (mean = 2.31), rubbing of traditional lotions and concoctions to cure malaria (mean = 2.18), drinking of tree bark, and roots and alcohol concoction to cure malaria (mean = 2.10).

LEVEL OF UTILIZATION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
The result is plausible owing to the fact that traditional medicine is accessible, affordable, culturally acceptable, socially sanctioned and easy to prepare with little or no side effects. Most rural households prefer traditional medicine to the exorbitantly priced conventional health care services. Adesina (2014) and Alarm (2011) were of the notion that 75-80% of the population in Africa uses traditional medicine for their needs. Pseudo R-Square of 0.573 indicated that 57.3% of the variations in the dependent variable were accounted for while others were due to error. The chi-square value was statistically significant at 1% level of probability indicating the Tobit regression line of best fit. The coefficients of age, gender, occupation and income positively influenced the intensity of utilization of medicinal plants in the study area. Furthermore, the coefficient of age was statistically significant at 1% level of probability. This result implies the older person will have high intensity and probability of utilization of medicinal plants.The coefficient of gender was statistically significant at 1% level of probability. The result implies that male respondents had more intensity of utilization of medicinal plants than their female counterparts in the study area.The coefficient of occupation was statistically significant at 1% level of probability. The result implies that farmers had more intensity of utilization of medicinal plants than non farmers' counterparts in the study area. This may be attributed to the fact farmers are more familiar with these medicinal plants than non farmers.

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
The study therefore rejected the null hypothesis which stated that there is no significant relationship between some socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and utilization of traditional medicine and concluded otherwise.

III. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The study concluded that there was moderate high utilization of traditional medicine in the treatment of malaria in the study area. It is therefore important to ensure that the appropriate information is made available to the consumers to enable effective utilization which entails maximizing the benefit of traditional medicine while minimizing the risks Production of traditional malaria drug with labeled instruction, dosage and expiry date, so as to ensure adequate utilization. Traditional doctors should ensure that the drugs are produced in a hygienic environment. Women and youths should be encouraged to utilize traditional medicine in the treatment of malaria in the study area.