[ Prévention du paludisme chez les femmes enceintes à Bouaké: Entre biomédecine et pratiques traditionnelles ]
Adou Serge Judicaël Anoua1
1 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Alassane Ouattara University, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Background: Malaria remains a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. In Bouaké, malaria prevention among pregnant women takes place in a context of high endemicity, characterised by the coexistence of biomedicine and traditional therapeutic practices. Objective: This study aims to analyse the social and cultural logics shaping malaria prevention behaviours during pregnancy, despite the implementation of national and international control policies. Matérials and Methods: A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Quantitative data were collected through a survey of 150 pregnant women attending three maternity wards in Bouaké (Ahougnanssou, Belleville, and Nimbo). Qualitative data were obtained from three focus group discussions involving 36 participants and three semi-structured interviews with midwives. Results: The findings indicate a high level of awareness regarding malaria transmission, predominantly attributed to mosquito bites. However, knowledge of severe pregnancy-related complications, such as prematurity, low birth weight, and maternal mortality, remains limited. Long-lasting insecticidal nets and intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine are widely recognised, yet their effective use is inconsistent. In addition, 78% of respondents report resorting to traditional practices, particularly medicinal plants, regardless of educational level. These behaviours reflect a form of therapeutic syncretism, in which local remedies coexist with biomedical interventions perceived as effective but sometimes restrictive. Conclusion: Malaria prevention during pregnancy cannot be addressed solely through biomedical interventions. Context-sensitive strategies that incorporate sociocultural realities and strengthen community involvement are essential to bridge the gap between recommendations and actual practices.
Author Keywords: Malaria, pregnant women, prevention, traditional practices, maternal health.
Adou Serge Judicaël Anoua1
1 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Alassane Ouattara University, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background: Malaria remains a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. In Bouaké, malaria prevention among pregnant women takes place in a context of high endemicity, characterised by the coexistence of biomedicine and traditional therapeutic practices. Objective: This study aims to analyse the social and cultural logics shaping malaria prevention behaviours during pregnancy, despite the implementation of national and international control policies. Matérials and Methods: A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Quantitative data were collected through a survey of 150 pregnant women attending three maternity wards in Bouaké (Ahougnanssou, Belleville, and Nimbo). Qualitative data were obtained from three focus group discussions involving 36 participants and three semi-structured interviews with midwives. Results: The findings indicate a high level of awareness regarding malaria transmission, predominantly attributed to mosquito bites. However, knowledge of severe pregnancy-related complications, such as prematurity, low birth weight, and maternal mortality, remains limited. Long-lasting insecticidal nets and intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine are widely recognised, yet their effective use is inconsistent. In addition, 78% of respondents report resorting to traditional practices, particularly medicinal plants, regardless of educational level. These behaviours reflect a form of therapeutic syncretism, in which local remedies coexist with biomedical interventions perceived as effective but sometimes restrictive. Conclusion: Malaria prevention during pregnancy cannot be addressed solely through biomedical interventions. Context-sensitive strategies that incorporate sociocultural realities and strengthen community involvement are essential to bridge the gap between recommendations and actual practices.
Author Keywords: Malaria, pregnant women, prevention, traditional practices, maternal health.
Abstract: (french)
Contexte: Le paludisme demeure une cause majeure de morbidité et de mortalité maternelle en Afrique subsaharienne. À Bouaké, sa prévention chez les femmes enceintes s’inscrit dans un contexte de forte endémie marqué par la coexistence de la biomédecine et des pratiques thérapeutiques traditionnelles. Objectif: Cet article analyse les logiques sociales et culturelles qui influencent les comportements de prévention du paludisme pendant la grossesse, malgré la mise en œuvre de politiques nationales et internationales de lutte. Matériels et méthodes: Une approche mixte a été mobilisée. Elle combine une enquête quantitative auprès de 150 femmes enceintes suivies dans trois maternités de Bouaké (Ahougnanssou, Belleville et Nimbo) et une enquête qualitative fondée sur trois focus groups réunissant 36 participantes ainsi que trois entretiens semi-directifs avec des sage-femmes. Résultats: Les résultats révèlent un bon niveau de connaissance du mode de transmission du paludisme, principalement associé à la piqûre de moustique. En revanche, la perception des complications graves liées à la grossesse, telles que la prématurité, le faible poids de naissance et la mortalité maternelle, reste partielle. Les moustiquaires imprégnées et le traitement préventif intermittent à base de sulfadoxine-pyriméthamine sont largement identifiés, mais leur utilisation effective demeure irrégulière. Par ailleurs, 78 % des femmes déclarent recourir à des pratiques traditionnelles, notamment aux plantes médicinales, indépendamment du niveau d’instruction. Conclusion: L’étude met en évidence un syncrétisme thérapeutique et souligne la nécessité de stratégies de prévention intégrant les réalités socioculturelles locales et une mobilisation accrue des acteurs communautaires.
Author Keywords: Paludisme, Femmes enceintes, Prévention, Pratiques traditionnelles, Santé maternelle.
