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Table 5 Artemisinin combination therapy (artemether-lumefantrine or artesunate-amodiaquine) dispensing, dosing and patient knowledge for uncomplicated malaria patients

From: Health worker adherence to malaria treatment guidelines at outpatient health facilities in southern Malawi following implementation of universal access to diagnostic testing

 

n/N

Weighted percent (95% CI)

1. ACT dispensing and dosing

Total number of uncomplicated (confirmed and presumed) malaria patients

725/2342

33.0 (27.2, 38.8)

 Received an ACT (AL or ASAQ)a

609/725

84.9 (77.2, 92.5)

  ACT dispensed

534/609

88.9 (80.1, 97.7)

  ACT correctly dosed when dispensedb

505/534

94.9 (92.7, 97.2)

Type of ACT dispensed

 AL dispensed

517/534

97.2 (93.3, 100.0)

  AL correctly dosed when dispensed

490/534

92.5 (88.2, 96.8)

 ASAQ dispensed

17/534

2.8 (0.0, 6.7)

  ASAQ correctly dosed when dispensedc

16/17

93.6 (3.7, 100.0)

HWs provided patients with the following ACT counselling information

 First dose of ACT given at HF

72/534

16.8 (3.2, 30.3)

 HW explained how to take ACT at home

495/534

91.8 (88.7, 94.8)

 HW advised what to do in case of vomiting within 30 min of taking ACT

36/534

7.5 (4.8, 10.1)

HW instructed to complete all doses of ACT even if he/she feels better

316/534

60.9 (52.7, 69.1)

 HW instructed to take AL with food, milk or milk containing drinkd

141/517

27.9 (20.2, 35.7)

2. Patient ACT dosing knowledge

Correct knowledge regarding all aspects of ACT dosinge

404/534

78.1 (72.3, 83.8)

Knows correct amount of ACT (tablet or syrup) to take per dose

460/534

85.9 (81.3, 90.6)

Knows total number of days to complete ACT dose

473/534

90.6 (86.8, 94.3)

Knows correct number of AL doses to take per day

474/534

89.5 (86.0, 93.0)

  1. a1 confirmed malaria patient had both AL and ASAQ dispensed; AL was the only ACT dispensed to presumed malaria patients
  2. bASAQ dosing information was coded as correct for patients who received the correct strength or number of ASAQ tablets and for those with missing dosing information
  3. c1 patient (a 5 years old child weighing 14 kg) received lower than recommended strength formulation for ASAQ
  4. dOnly pertains to patients who were dispensed AL. Patients with ASAQ were not asked this question
  5. eAspects of AL dosing were evaluated when the drug was dispensed and included patient knowledge of correct: number of AL tablets to take at each dose, number of AL doses to take per day and number of days to complete the AL dose. Aspects of correct ASAQ dosing included patient knowledge of correct number of ASAQ tablets to each for each dose and the total number of days to complete the entire ASAQ dose