Popular Conceptions of Malaria in Western Burkina Faso: Perceptions of Causes and Attitudes of Avoidance

Abstract

Malaria continues to be a public health problem in Burkina Faso. More than 10,000,000 cases with 4294 deaths, including more than 3000 children under 5 years of age, were recorded in 2018. If the persistence of malaria can be explained among other things by the resistance of mosquitoes to the insecticides used in vector control tools and that of parasites to certain drugs, the fact remains that human behavior makes difficult the control of the disease. Through a qualitative approach, this article highlights social perception of malaria in Soumousso, a village in western Burkina Faso. It focuses on the relationship between the perception of the causes of malaria and attitudes to avoid the disease. Individuals select their prevention practices according their social representation of the malaria.