{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,26]],"date-time":"2025-11-26T22:07:34Z","timestamp":1764194854723,"version":"3.40.5"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,25]],"date-time":"2024-04-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1714003200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,25]],"date-time":"2024-04-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1714003200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Malar J"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>The increased availability and use of malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) by primary healthcare (PHC) workers has made universal diagnostic testing before malaria treatment more feasible. However, to meaningfully resolve the problem of over-treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapy and the heightened risk of selection pressure and drug resistance, there should be appropriate response (non-prescription of anti-malarial drugs) following a negative RDT result by PHC workers. This study explored the determinants of the use of RDT and anti-malarial drug prescription practices by PHC workers in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Between March 2 and 10, 2020, three focus group discussions were conducted in English with 23 purposively-selected consenting PHC workers involved in the diagnosis and treatment of malaria. Data was analysed thematically as informed by the method by Braun and Clarke.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>The determinants of the use of RDT for malaria diagnosis were systemic (RDT availability and patient load), provider related (confidence in RDT and the desire to make correct diagnosis, PHC worker\u2019s knowledge and training, and fear to prick a patient), client related (fear of needle prick and refusal to receive RDT, and self-diagnosis of malaria, based on symptoms, and insistence on not receiving RDT), and RDT-related (the ease of conducting and interpreting RDT). The determinants of anti-malarial drug prescription practices were systemic (drug availability and cost) and drug related (effectiveness and side-effects of the drugs). The determinants of the prescription of anti-malarial drugs following negative RDT were provider related (the desire to make more money and limited confidence in RDT) and clients\u2019 demand while unnecessary co-prescription of antibiotics with anti-malarial drugs following positive RDT was determined by the desire to make more money.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>This evidence highlights many systemic, provider, client, and RDT\/drug related determinants of PHC workers\u2019 use of RDT and anti-malarial drug prescription practices that should provide tailored guidance for relevant health policy actions in Ebonyi state, Nigeria, and similar settings.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-024-04958-3","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,25]],"date-time":"2024-04-25T17:03:11Z","timestamp":1714064591000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["A qualitative study on determinants of the use of malaria rapid diagnostic test and anti-malarial drug prescription practices by primary healthcare workers in Ebonyi state, Nigeria"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6586-8992","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ugwu I.","family":"Omale","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"4958_CR1","volume-title":"World malaria report 2022","author":"WHO","year":"2022","unstructured":"WHO. 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Written informed consent was obtained from all the study participant before commencing the focus group discussions.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"The author declares no competing interests.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"120"}}