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Short Communication EVALUATION OF THE BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION (BCC) AS AN ANTI-MALARIA STRATEGY IN GOA, INDIA

To evaluate the Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) strategy undertaken during the Anti Malaria Month (AMM) campaigns in terms of knowledge, attitudes and practices about malaria in the population. Cross sectional study design was used. The study areas were selected based on the selection criteria provided in Anti Malaria Month Operational Guide. Both the districts in Goa were selected for the study. From each of the districts two PHC areas and one UHC area were identified by random selection. In each PHC area two sub centre areas with one village from each sub centre area was selected and from each UHC area one urban ward was randomly selected with a total of 400 participants covering ten sites from the entire state. Participants were aged 19 years and above with almost equal number of males and females. Data was collected by house to house visits by trained researchers through interviews using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire for the purpose of these evaluations. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Chi square test was calculated and a p value (p<=0.05) was taken as statistically significant. Study subjects were familiar with the symptoms of malaria with majority (81%) of the study participants correctly identifying fever as the main symptom of Malaria. Regarding the modes of spread of malaria, majority (79.5%) of the individuals in our study correctly associated mosquito bite with transmission of malaria. Knowledge of malaria, its main symptoms, modes of transmission and mosquito breeding sites was quite high in the study population but this knowledge has not satisfactorily translated into preventive practices adopted by them.