Table 4

Perspectives and opinions of utilisation of rapid diagnostic test (RDT) results in the treatment of malaria: among 63 health workers at 21 lower level health facilities in Uganda

Thematic factor

RDT positive results

RDT negative results

Accuracy of test kits

Health workers believe in the results of RDTs, particularly positive

[45 respondents (71%)]

RDTs can miss a case of malaria (false negative)

[32 respondents (51%)]

I believe that RDT positive results are truly positive [58 respondents (92%)]

I believe that RDT negative results are truly negative

[31 respondents (49%)]

Practice of treatment

I do not treat all RDT positive patients with anti-malarials

[28 respondents (44%)]

I treat febrile patients with anti-malarials despite of negative test results because a negative RDT result does not exclude malaria [23 respondents (37%)]

Kyabayinze et al. Malaria Journal 2010 9:200   doi:10.1186/1475-2875-9-200