Thesis (Mcur)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The researcher has identified several problems in the North West Health Directorate community of Namibia regarding malaria and malaria related deaths. Against this background the study was undertaken to: • Identify the attitude(s) of the community towards malaria. • Determine the community's knowledge of malaria. • Determine the prevention strategies the community employed to guard against malaria. • Make recommendations. Methodological triangulation was used to obtain data and the findings reflected the following: • Lack of knowledge about malaria, its causes, management and prevention due to lack of adequate health information. • Socio-cultural factors have an influence on the community's knowledge of malaria, their attitudes towards malaria and on strategies employed by the community to prevent malaria. Recommendations included provision of proper and adequate health information to the community by health workers, increasing community participation in order to enhance attitude change and co-ordination and collaboration between traditional healers and the Ministry of Health and Social Services. Keywords: malaria I community I prevention I knowledge I attitudes / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorser het verskeie probleme rakende malaria en malaria verwante sterftes in die gemeenskap van die Noordwes Gesondheidsdirektoraat van Namibië geïdentifiseer. Teen hierdie agtergrond is die studie gedoen om: • Die houding van die gemeenskap teenoor malaria te identifiseer. • Die gemeenskap se kennis omtrent malaria te bepaal. • Die voorkomende strategieë wat die gemeenskap toepas om malaria te voorkom te bepaal. • Aanbevelings te maak. Metodologiese triangulasie is gebruik om data te verkry en die bevindinge het die volgende gereflekteer: • Gebrek aan kennis aangaande malaria, die oorsake, hantering en voorkoming van malaria as gevolg van 'n gebrek aan voldoende gesondheidsinligting. • Sosio-kulturele faktore beïnvloed die gemeenskap se kennis van malaria, hul houding teenoor malaria en die strategieë wat hul toepas om malaria te voorkom. Aanbevelings sluit in die voorsiening van korrekte en voldoende gesondheidsinligting aan die gemeenskap deur gesondheidswerkers, verhoging van gemeenskapsdeelname om houdingsveranderinge teweeg te bring asook om die koërdinasie en samewerking tussen tradisionele helers in die Ministerie van Gesondheid en Welsyn te verbeter. Sleutelwoorde: malaria I gemeenskap I voorkoming I kennis I houding.