BIRUK MULACHEW GELESHO2026-03-032023-11https://etd.hu.edu.et/handle/123456789/1131Background: In Africa, urban malaria is emerging as a potential Health problem. Because of the rapidly growing number of towns in Ethiopia, there is a persistent need to improve the understanding of the epidemiology of urban malaria. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of urban malaria and its associated risk factors in Damboya town Kambata Zone, Central Ethiopia region. Methods: A Community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Damboya town from March 7 to May 29, 2023. A total of 422 individuals were randomly selected and a structured questionnaire was employed to collect socio-demographic data and malaria-associated risk factors. Finger/ heel prick blood was used to detect malaria parasites by light microscopy and malaria rapid diagnostic test. Data were entered in Epi data 3.1 and analyzed in SPSS version 25 software. The association between dependent and independent variables was explored by using binary logistic regression analyses. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was calculated and the association was declared at a P-value of <0.05. Result: The overall prevalence of malaria was 5% (95%CI:3.1-7.5) with the predominant P. vivax infections accounting for 61.9%. The presence of stagnant water (AOR=3.88, 95% CI: 1.14-13.22, P=0.030), unavailability of insecticide-treated bed net (AOR=3.24, 95% CI: 1.01 10.41, P=0.048), living in a house with eaves (AOR=4.22, 95%CI: 1.17-15.00, p=0.027), were more significantly associated with malaria prevalence. Conclusion: Malaria is still a public health problem in Damboya town. Thus, improved access to all malaria interventions is needed to interrupt the transmission in the community of this town.enPrevalenceurban malariarisk factorsDamboya townEthiopiaThesis