PMID: 16615620Apr 18, 2006Paper

Self-treatment of fever in the northern district of Dakar, Senegal

Médecine tropicale : revue du Corps de santé colonial
P NdiayeJ P Lemort

Abstract

Malaria is assimilated with its cardinal symptom, i.e., fever. Treatment of fever with antimalarial drugs is crucial to the prevention of malaria-related death in Senegal. The objective of this study was to analyze fever-treatment practices as a basis for making realistic recommendations for self-treatment in the northern health district of Dakar, Senegal. This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to April 30, 2003. The population included all patients with body temperature higher or equal to 37.5 degrees C (99.5 degrees F) associated with at least one of the following symptoms: headache, shivering, vomiting and diarrhoea. Study endpoints included demographic data and fever treatment modalities including the nature, dosage, and duration of the drugs used. Malaria was suspected in 180 of the 271 patients enrolled in the study. Treatment had already been undertaken in 134 patients including 108 (81%) who had initiated self-treatment. Drugs included antipyretics, antibiotics, and/or antimalarials. Antimalarial drug dosage was incorrect in 84% of those who initiated self-treatment. Dosage errors involved number of daily doses (55%), duration of treatment (13%), or both (32%). Only 45% of patients fully completed treatme...Continue Reading

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