Author(s): Mursid Raharjo Assidiq

Abstract: Malaria remains a health problem in Indonesia. In 2017, 4.9 million people lived in malaria endemic areas, with 261,617 cases reported and 100 fatalities. In the Purworejo district, there were 276 cases in 2017. The lack of knowledge about malaria in early childhood is strongly suspected as one of the factors affecting prevention. This research aimed to measure the level of knowledge of elementary school students about malaria and determine how far the school curriculum should have malaria content. Random sampling was performed on 121 elementary school studentsfrom 24 schools,to measure knowledge of malaria and determine its inclusion in curriculum. Data was analyzed to determine the level of knowledge of malaria and the extent to which it appears in curriculum. The results of a survey of 121 (6th grade students) show that the majority (95%) had heard about malaria in general. They understand malaria as a “heat and cold” disease (87%), and transmitted by mosquitoes (98%). Nearly half of respondents (47%) had a family member who had suffered from malaria. Only 41% realized bedrest is importantto recover if infected. When verbally questioned about aspects of the Anopheles mosquito species, only 12% answered correctly. Respondents were less well informed that Anopheles is a transmitter of malaria (25%), and did not understand that the river/pond is a breeding ground for the Anopheles mosquito (5%). In all schools surveyed (100%), we found no local content related to malaria in the elementary school curriculum. Lack of knowledge about malaria is still a factor in the persistence of malaria cases. Curriculum becomes a source of knowledge forelementary school students in endemic areas. The inclusion of local content about malaria is one of the community’s behavioral factors to prevent malaria. The basic knowledgeabout Anopheles species and its ecology in early childhood is below exectations. There is no health lesson about malaria in the elementary school curriculum. Education on malaria is needed to help eliminate malaria in the long term and to ensure the sustainability of malaria control.

Keywords: malaria, elementary school curriculum, Purworejo.

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.4.1.38