Table 5 Socio-economic differences in malaria incidence, diagnosis and treatment sources and reasons for non use of health centres

Incidence of malaria

1254

303 (24.1)

300 (24)

325 (25.9)

326 (26)

0.93

0.6799

Sources of diagnosis

Traditional healer

18

6 (33.3)

3 (16.7)

5 (27.8)

4 (22.2)

1.5

0.2565

Family member

58

33 (56.9)

9 (15.5)

8 (13.8)

8 (13.8)

4.12

0.0000*

Community health worker

73

15 (20.6)

17 (23.3)

22 (30.1)

19 (26)

0.79

0.2565

Laboratory test

112

24 (21.4)

18 (16.1)

33 (29.5)

37 (33)

0.65

0.0099*

Self

993

246 (24.8)

270 (27.2)

242 (24.4)

235 (23.6)

1.1

1.0000

Sources of treatment

Traditional healer

147

43(29.2)

51(34.7)

32(21.8)

21(14.3)

2.04

0.0027*

Patent medicine dealer

451

132(29.3)

116(25.7)

106(23.5)

97(21.5)

1.36

0.1623

Community health worker

24

12(50)

7(29.2)

3(12.5)

2(8.3)

6.0

0.0000*

BI health centre

221

42(19)

48(21.7)

64(29)

67(30.3)

0.63

0.0391*

General hospital

339

68(20.1)

82(24.2)

94(27.7)

95(28)

0.72

0.1487

Private clinic

29

2(6.9)

6(20.7)

9(31.0)

12(41.4)

0.17

0.0000*

Home

43

12(27.9)

12(27.9)

8(18.6)

11(25.6)

1.09

0.4406

Reasons for not using the BI health centre

Lack of drugs

337

60 (17.8)

74 (21.9)

102 (30.3)

101 (30)

0.59

0.0232*

Too far

214

53 (24.7)

50 (23.4)

56 (26.2)

55 (25.7)

0.96

0.7971

Poor staff attitude

166

33 (19.9)

39 (23.5)

38 (22.9)

56 (33.7)

0.59

0.0303*

Unaffordable cost

113

33 (29.2)

26 (23)

25 (22.1)

29 (25.7)

1.14

0.6060

Long waiting time

133

25 (18.8)

46 (34.6)

26 (19.5)

36 (27.1)

0.69

0.679

Lack of doctor

470

99 (21.1)

121 (25.7)

124 (26.4)

126 (26.8)

0.78

0.353