Older persons and malaria treatment in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence and pattern of health-seeking behavior of older people on malaria fever among the elderly in Nigeria.  Data from the Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey were used with a weighted sample of 1819 older persons aged 60 and above across the six geopolitical regions in Nigeria. The odds of fever as well as treatment seeking were predicted using logistic regression models. The prevalence rate of fever among the aged in Nigeria is 28%. About half of the respondents did not receive treatment in a standard health facility. There is high patronage of chemist/patient medicine vendor/shops for malaria fever treatment among older people in Nigeria. Findings suggest that older people may use healthcare facility if it is affordable. The lifelong approach that can reduce poverty and illiteracy is recommended since the rural-urban differences in treatment seeking reduced with the inclusion of other socio-demographic variables in the model.