Short-term impact of acute uncomplicated malaria on the cognitive performance of school children living in an endemic area
Abstract
Background In Indonesia, malaria remains a public healthproblem. In North Sumatra between 2000 and 2004, an estimated
50,670 clinical cases occurred every year, leading to the deaths
of 9-10 people per year.
Objectives To determine the short-term impact of acute uncompli-
cated malaria on the cognitive performance of school children.
Methods A prospective study was conducted on students at four
elementary schools in Madina, North Sumatra, Indonesia, from
August 15 to September 3, 2006. Subjects were classified into
malaria and non-malaria groups based on microscopically confirmed
blood smears; they were selected by means of random sampling.
Cognitive performance was measured with two examination papers
on mathematics and Indonesian language before and two weeks
after artesunate and amodiaquin treatment for three days in the
malaria group. Independent or paired t-tests were used to analyze
differences in mean scores of cognitive performance.
Results From 925 children examined, 384 suffered from malaria.
One-hundred and thirty three children were recruited from the
malaria group and 132 children were recruited from the non-
malaria group. There was no difference in the distribution of
general characteristics of the subjects. There was a significant
difference in cognitive performance between the malaria and
non-malaria groups (P<0.0001) before and after treatments. In
the malaria group, there was a significant difference in cognitive
performance before (mean 38.9; SD 15.19) and after treatment
(mean 72.9; SD 10.41) with P<O.OOOl.
Conclusion Acute uncomplicated malaria significantly affects
the cognitive performance of school children living in a malaria-
endemic area.
References
Hadinegoro SRS, editors. Buku ajar ilmu kesehatan anak
infeksi dan penyakit tropis. Jakarta: IDAI, 2005; p. 443-71.
2. Hayward AR. Protozoal infection. In: Hay WW, Hayward
AR, Levin MJ, Sondheimer JM, editors. Current pediatric
diagnosis and treatment. 15th ed. Boston: Me Graw -Hill,
2001; p. 1091-1121.
3.Akogun OB, John KK. Illness - related practices for the
management of childhood malaria among the Bwatiye people
of north- eastern Nigeria. Available from: URL: http: //www.
malariajoumal.com/41II 13
4.Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Mandailing Natal. Rencana
Strategis Tahun 2001-2005. Panyabungan: Dinas Kesehatan
Kabupaten Mandailing Natal; 2001.
5.Krause PJ. Malaria (plasmodium). In: Behrman RE, Kliegman
RM, Jenson HB, editors. Nelson textbook of pediatrics. 17'h
Ed. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2004; p. 1139-43.
6.Lucas AM. Economic effects of malaria eradication: evidence
from the malarial periphery. Rhode Island: Brown University;
2005.
7.Njuguna PW, Newton CRJC. Management of severe
falciparum malaria. J Postgrad Med. 2004;50:45-50.
8.Fernando S, Gunawardena OM, Bandara M, Silva DO, Carter
R, Mendis K, et al. The impact of repeated malaria attacks
on the school performance of children. Am J Trap Med Hyg.
2003;69:582-8.
9.Fernando D, Silva D, Wickremasinghe R. Short-term impact
of an acute attack of malaria on cognitive performance of
school children living in a malaria-endemic area of Sri Lanka.
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2003;97:633-9.
10. Soemantri AG. Epidemiology of iron deficiency anaemia. In:
Triasih R, editor. In: Anemia defisiensi besi. Yogyakarta:
MEDIKA-Fakultas Kedokteran UGM, 2005; p. 8-28.
11. Centers for disease control and prevention. CDC growth
charts for the United States: methods and development
[homepage on the internet]. c2002 [Updated 2002
May 13]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs /
PRESSROOM!02facts/00growth.htm
12. Koordinasi Keluarga Berencana Nasional. Pedoman tata
car a pencatatan dan pelaporan pendataan keluarga. Jakarta:
KKBN; 2006.
13. Holding PA, Snow RW. Impact of plasmodium falciparum
malaria on performance and learning: review of the evidence.
Am Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2001;64: 68-75.
14. Nomi S. Inteligensi (kecerdasan) verballinguistik. In: Nomi
S, Kumadin A, editors. Multiple intelligences: metode terbaru
melesatkan kecerdasan. 1" ed. Jakarta: Inisiasi Press, 2002;
p. 9-38.
15. Yulaelawati E. Aplikasi dalam pembelajaran. In: Kurikulum
dan pembelajaran: filosofi teori dan aplikasi. Bandung: Pakar
Raya, 2004; p. 105-22.
16. Nomi S. Inteligensi logis- matematis. In: Nomi S, Kumadin
A, penyunting. Multiple intelligences: metode terbaru
melesatkan kecerdasan. 1st ed. Jakarta: Inisiasi Press, 2002;
Indonesia. Jakarta: Departemen Kesehatan RI, 2005; p.p. 39-71.
17. Ditjen Pemberantasan Penyakit Menular dan Penyehatan
Lingkungan. Pedoman tatalaksana kasus malaria di
Indonesia. Jakarta: Departemen Kesehatan RI, 2005; p.33-4.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Published 2009-04-30