{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,7]],"date-time":"2026-10-07T16:27:24Z","timestamp":1791390444917,"version":"4.3.3"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]],"date-time":"2025-10-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761523200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Malaria remains a significant global public health challenge. In Kenya, it is a leading cause of illness and death among children under five in malaria-endemic areas. Understanding its prevalence and the factors influencing it is essential for informed public health decisions and targeted interventions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Assess prevalence and associated factors of malaria in under-five children using the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey data.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Method<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A total of 3146 children were included in this study. A multilevel logistic regression model was fitted to assess factors associated with malaria, with significance reported at p-value\u2009&lt;\u20090.05 and a 95% confidence interval.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The prevalence of malaria among under-five children in Kenya was 22.72% (95% CI: 21.29, 24.22). Maternal age between 25\u201334 (AOR:0.75,95% CI:0.57,0.99) years, richest wealth of family (AOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26\u20130.89), treated mosquito bed net (AOR\u2009=\u20090.39; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.89), no bed net (AOR\u2009=\u20090.49; 95% CI: 0.31, 0.77), mothers who are breast feeding (AOR\u2009=\u20090.66; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.85) and community level poverty(AOR\u2009=\u20091.82; 95% CI: 1.19, 2.77) were the associated factors of malaria among underfive children in Kenya.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Malaria prevalence among under-five children in Kenya was 22.72%, with risk factors including poverty and lack of bed net use, while maternal age (25\u201334 years), higher wealth, treated bed nets, and breastfeeding were protective. To reduce malaria, promoting the use of insecticide-treated bed nets, supporting low-income families, and strengthening maternal health education are essential. Additionally, poverty alleviation programs and enhanced malaria surveillance can help mitigate risks. Strengthening community-based interventions and improving healthcare access are crucial for long-term malaria control.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0335346","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]],"date-time":"2025-10-27T17:36:01Z","timestamp":1761586561000},"page":"e0335346","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Individual and community level factors of malaria among under-five children in Kenya: Based on the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-1813-144X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gebeyehu","family":"Lakew","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abiyu Abadi","family":"Tareke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zeamanuel Anteneh","family":"Yigzaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Demis","family":"Getachew","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eyob","family":"Getachew","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amlaku Nigusie","family":"Yirsaw","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0335346.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1186\/s41182-017-0066-5","article-title":"Prevalence and associated determinants of malaria parasites among Kenyan children","volume":"45","author":"M Sultana","year":"2017","journal-title":"Trop Med Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0335346.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-024-04939-6","article-title":"Factors associated with the risk of malaria among children: analysis of 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey","volume":"23","author":"I Isiko","year":"2024","journal-title":"Malar J"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0335346.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1001","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-025-22211-7","article-title":"Risk factors associated with malaria infection in children aged from 6 to 59 months in Niger: a cross-sectional study","volume":"25","author":"NT Nadakou","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0335346.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0257276","article-title":"Assessment of malaria infection among pregnant women and children below five years of age attending rural health facilities of Kenya: A cross-sectional survey in two counties of Kenya","volume":"16","author":"C Okoyo","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0335346.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1186\/1475-2875-12-13","article-title":"Shifts in malaria vector species composition and transmission dynamics along the Kenyan coast over the past 20 years","volume":"12","author":"JM Mwangangi","year":"2013","journal-title":"Malar J"},{"key":"pone.0335346.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1186\/1475-2875-5-107","article-title":"Topography and malaria transmission heterogeneity in western Kenya highlands: prospects for focal vector control","volume":"5","author":"AK Githeko","year":"2006","journal-title":"Malar J"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0335346.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"210","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-020-03286-6","article-title":"Malaria infection, disease and mortality among children and adults on the coast of Kenya","volume":"19","author":"A Kamau","year":"2020","journal-title":"Malar J"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0335346.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"665","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-020-05531-9","article-title":"Determinants of subnational disparities in antenatal care utilisation: a spatial analysis of demographic and health survey data in Kenya","volume":"20","author":"KG Wairoto","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0335346.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1186\/s12936-023-04505-6","article-title":"Malaria control and elimination in Kenya: economy-wide benefits and regional disparities","volume":"22","author":"Z Elnour","year":"2023","journal-title":"Malar J"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0335346.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0235538","article-title":"Prevalence and associated factors of delayed first antenatal care booking among reproductive age women in Ethiopia; 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