[01] Maha Hamad Mohamed Ali, Health Education Department, Public Health Faculty, Alzaiem Al-Azhari University, Khartoum, Sudan. [02] Hatim Rahamtalla Mohamed Ahmed, Health Education Department, Public Health Faculty, Bahari University, Khartoum, Sudan. [03] Fatima Fadul Ali Osman, Health Education Department, Public Health Faculty, Alzaiem Al-Azhari University, Khartoum, Sudan. [04] Osman Babiker Osman, Health Education Department, Public Health Faculty, Alzaiem Al-Azhari University, Khartoum, Sudan.

Background/objective: Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing countries. In endemic areas, malaria infection during pregnancy accounts for up to a quarter of all cases of severe maternal anaemia, and for 10-20 percent of low birth weight babies. This study aimed to assess the effect of health education interventions (Information, Education and Communication (IEC), and Behavior Change Communication (BCC)) on pregnant women knowledge, attitude and practice for malaria and the malaria morbidity and mortality rate among both pregnant women and women with under-five children. Methods: This is a quazi-experimental study. It was conducted among 400 participants selected randomly from eight villages from East Gezira Locality. Training sessions in health education strategies were held targeting community health workers from the target area. Those trainees conducted the interventions that based on different health education strategies continued for one year. The data were collected before and after intervention, compared and analyzed, using SPSS and chi square test. Results: The result revealed that, there is a significant increase in knowledge, since where there are significant increases in knowledge concerning mosquito types from 46.7% to 92.2%, malaria mode of transmission from 35.4% to 81.5% and concerning consequences of malaria from 43.2% to 83.8%.The attitude of mothers towards the daily usage of insecticide treated nets has improved significantly after the intervention from 6.2% to 99.5%. There was also a significant promotion of practices concerning the use of integrated treated nets from 26.8% to 81.5%.Malaria morbidity rate significantly decreased after the intervention from 24.3%to19.10% and the mortality rate significantly decreased after the intervention. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the health education interventions yield good result in increasing knowledge, improving attitudes and practices which in turn reduce morbidity and mortality rate of malaria among the pregnant women.

Health Education, Women, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Morbidity, Mortality, Malaria

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