Knowledge, Practices, and Perceptions Towards Malaria Prevention and Control Among Residents of Canaanland and Surrounding Areas in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Theophilus Nang Wakai^1,2*Carrin Fiamitia^1,2Irrinus Fonyuy Kintung^1,2Shalom Nwodo Chinedu¹Israel Sunmola Afolabi¹

• ¹Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
• ²Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Center of Excellence (CApIC-ACE), Ota, Nigeria

Malaria remains a major public health concern in Nigeria, accounting for approximately 27% of global cases. In Ota, Ogun State, a recent study reported a 44% malaria prevalence among symptomatic patients. This high burden underscores the importance of understanding community knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, as such insights are critical for designing targeted and effective control strategies. This cross-sectional study assessed malaria knowledge, and preventive practices (including treatment-seeking behaviors), and perceptions among 483 residents of Canaanland, a semi-urban religious and educational community, between March and June 2025. Data were collected anonymously using semi-structured questionnaires in hardcopy and via KoboToolbox, with manual entry for paper responses, and analyzed descriptively in R software (version 4.3.1). Overall, 55% had moderate knowledge, 60% exhibited poor preventive practices, and 75.8% believed malaria can be eliminated. Most respondents (80.5% students) demonstrated high awareness (98.0%), yet significant misconceptions about malaria causes (e.g., dirty water, contaminated food) persisted. Insecticide-treated net (ITN) use was suboptimal, with only 27.7% using ITNs nightly despite 66.9% ownership, with postgraduate students less likely to use them. Practice and attitude scores were significantly associated with gender and education (p < 0.05), indicating suboptimal behaviors among males and undergraduates. Although 67.7% sought prompt treatment, nearly one-quarter relied on self-diagnosis. More than half rated government malaria control efforts poorly, yet the vast majority supported increased sensitization. Key barriers included poor sanitation, limited ITN access, and financial constraints. These findings highlight that higher education alone does not ensure effective malaria-related behaviors, emphasizing the need for behavior-focused, context-specific interventions alongside awareness campaigns in educated, semi-urban settings.