Variability of Environmental Quality and Dynamics of Malaria in Sarmi District

Malaria is an infectious disease that is of global concern. This disease is still a public health problem because it often causes outbreaks. Sarmi Regency specifically in Betaf Health Center working area API number 642 per 100 population, Sarmi Regency ranks fourth with API number 16,250 per 1000 population in Papua province in 2018. This study aimed to analyze the variability of environmental quality and malaria dynamics in the Puskesmas Work Area Betaf East Coast District, Sarmi Regency. This study used a case control design. The research sample of 124 respondents, consisting of 62 cases and 62 controls were randomly drawn. The variables studied were environmental factors (temperature, humidity, water pH, the presence of cattle pens, the presence of resting places, and the presence of breeding places), behavioral factors (the habit of being outside at night, the use of anti-mosquito repellent, the use of mosquito nets, and the use of wire mesh on ventilation), mosquito density, type of mosquito, and the incidence of malaria. Data analysis used chi square and logistic regression. Malaria API of Sarmi Regency in the period 2014 - 2018 showed a significant increase in the number of cases and API in 2018. The results of the study showed that the variables proven as risk factors for malaria were air temperature (OR = 3,665 95% CI = 1,728-7,776), humidity ( OR = 5,037 95% CI = 1,742-14,564), habits outside the home (OR 5,043 95% CI = 1,578-16,120), habits using mosquito nets (OR = 4,242 95% CI = 1,212-16,046). The most influential variable on the incidence of malaria is environmental variability in air temperature (p = 0.003 95% CI = 0.137 - 0.661). The probability of suffering from malaria in respondents living at 25-27oC is 79%. The air temperature affects the breeding of Anopheles sp. Mosquitoes, where the mosquitoes can develop optimally at a temperature of 25-27oC.