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Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

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178 | Malaria<br />

13.1.4 Prevalence <strong>and</strong> Management <strong>of</strong> Childhood Malaria<br />

A common manifestation <strong>of</strong> malaria is fever, <strong>and</strong> the presence <strong>of</strong> fever is used as an entry<br />

point to assess <strong>and</strong> classify a sick child’s condition. In the <strong>2009</strong>-<strong>10</strong> TLDHS, mothers were asked<br />

whether their children under age 5 had a fever in the two weeks preceding the survey. Although fever<br />

can occur year-round, malaria is more prevalent during the end <strong>of</strong> the rainy season. The fieldwork for<br />

the TLDHS spanned the six months from mid-August <strong>2009</strong> to early February 20<strong>10</strong> <strong>and</strong> did not fully<br />

encompass the peak season for malaria transmission <strong>of</strong> November to May. Such temporal factors<br />

should be taken into account when interpreting the occurrence <strong>of</strong> fever as an indicator <strong>of</strong> malaria<br />

prevalence. If a fever was reported, the mother was asked whether treatment was sought at a health<br />

facility <strong>and</strong> whether the child was given any medication <strong>and</strong>, if so, how soon the medication was<br />

taken after the onset <strong>of</strong> fever.<br />

Table 13.5 shows the percentage <strong>of</strong> children under age 5 with fever in the two weeks<br />

preceding the survey, <strong>and</strong> among children with fever, the percentage who received antimalarial drugs<br />

<strong>and</strong> the percentage who took antimalarial drugs the same day or the next, by background<br />

characteristics. One in five children under age 5 (19 percent) had a fever in the two weeks preceding<br />

the survey. Of these, 6 percent received an antimalarial drug. Only 2 percent <strong>of</strong> children received antimalarial<br />

drugs the same day or the next day after the onset <strong>of</strong> fever.<br />

Table 13.5 Prevalence <strong>and</strong> prompt treatment <strong>of</strong> fever<br />

Percentage <strong>of</strong> children under age 5 with fever in the two weeks preceding the survey, <strong>and</strong> among children with fever,<br />

the percentage who took antimalarial drugs <strong>and</strong> the percentage who took the drugs the same or next day following the<br />

onset <strong>of</strong> fever, by background characteristics, <strong>Timor</strong>-<strong>Leste</strong> <strong>2009</strong>-<strong>10</strong><br />

Background<br />

characteristic<br />

Among children under age 5: Among children under age 5 with fever:<br />

Percentage with<br />

fever in the two<br />

weeks preceding<br />

the survey<br />

Number <strong>of</strong><br />

children<br />

Percentage who<br />

took antimalarial<br />

drugs<br />

Percentage who<br />

took antimalarial<br />

drugs same or<br />

next day<br />

Number <strong>of</strong><br />

children<br />

Age (in months)<br />

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