RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Malaria is a common and frequently fatal disease in sub-Saharan Africa and children suffer the consequences of their family's erroneous therapeutic decisions. OBJECTIVE: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices related to malaria treatment and prevention among mothers of children younger than 5 years old. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey conducted from July to September 2000, in Notsé (Togo) among a sample of 385 mothers of children aged younger than 5 years. Investigators completed environmental evaluation cards and used a questionnaire to interview mothers. RESULTS: Mothers' level of knowledge was qualified as high among 53% of the subjects, intermediate among 30%, and poor among 17%. It was associated with the mothers' level of education. All mothers considered malaria to be a serious disease; 79% said that they were favourable to drug use for malaria prevention in children; 81% preferred mosquito nets as the means of prevention; 94% of them preferred that their child receive modern medical treatment for malaria. Mothers' global practices for malaria prevention and treatment were qualified as good among 5%, intermediate among 23%, and poor among 73%. Practices were associated with educational and level of knowledge and inversely associated with the number of children she had. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that improved communication with the population and promotion of intra- and inter-sector collaborations and literacy in mothers, together with active participation by the population, might be useful measures for reaching the objectives of antimalaria program in Togo.