Dataset Information

Socio-demographic factors influencing the ownership and utilization of insecticide-treated bed nets among malaria vulnerable groups in the Buea Health District, Cameroon.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malaria remains a public health problem and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) against it in vulnerable groups (pregnant women and children <5 years) is recommended in Cameroon. This study was aimed at assessing the socio-demographic factors influencing the ownership and utilization of ITNs among vulnerable groups in the Buea Health District (BHD).

Methods

In a cross-sectional survey a questionnaire was administered in households with at least a child <5 years and/pregnant woman in five health areas of the BHD. Information on demographic variables, household composition, mosquito bed net (MBN) ownership, utilization and factors influencing ownership and utilization was recorded.

Results

A total of 443 respondents were recruited and 208 (47.0%) possessed at least one MBN (total?=?275 MBNs) with a median of 1.33 nets. Of the 275 nets found in households, 89 (32%) were potent ITNs and others had never been retreated/treated. Purchase of MBNs from the market was associated with marital status (P?=?0.010) and urban settlement (P?=?0.045). The number of respondents who did not know where to retreat/treat ITNs was significantly higher (P?=?0.005) in urban than rural dwellers. The proportion of rural respondents who had once taken their MBNs for re-treatment was significantly higher (P?=?0.002) than that of urban dwellers. MBN utilisation was 69.7% (95% confidence interval; CI?=?.63.2-75.6%). A total of 83.4%, 13.8% and 3.4% used MBNs throughout the year, during the rainy and dry seasons respectively. MBN use in children under five was associated with being from an urban area (P?=?0.01). MBN use in pregnant women was associated with living in block-louver houses than in block-pane houses (P?=?0.047).

Conclusions

Utilization of MBN needs to be encouraged to match ownership while free distribution of ITNs to vulnerable groups needs to be continuous and consistent.

SUBMITTER: Kimbi HK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4167508 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Socio-demographic factors influencing the ownership and utilization of insecticide-treated bed nets among malaria vulnerable groups in the Buea Health District, Cameroon.

Kimbi Helen Kuokuo HK Nkesa Sarah Bi SB Ndamukong-Nyanga Judith Lum JL Sumbele Irene Ule Ngole IU Atashili Julius J Atanga Mary Bi Suh MB

BMC research notes 20140910

<h4>Background</h4>Malaria remains a public health problem and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) against it in vulnerable groups (pregnant women and children <5 years) is recommended in Cameroon. This study was aimed at assessing the socio-demographic factors influencing the ownership and utilization of ITNs among vulnerable groups in the Buea Health District (BHD).<h4>Methods</h4>In a cross-sectional survey a questionnaire was administered in households with at least a child <5 yea ...[more]

PMID: 25204352

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundMalaria is a leading cause of outpatient visits and deaths among children in Guinea. Despite several mass distribution campaigns of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in Guinea, ITN ownership and use remain low. Identifying the underlying factors affecting household ITN ownership and ITN usage among those with access will allow the Guinea National Malaria Control Programme to develop targeted initiatives to improve bed net ownership and usage.MethodsTo understand national and regional drivers of ITN ownership and use, multivariable binary logistic regression models were applied to data from the 2018 Demographic and Health Survey to identify risk factors of household ITN ownership and risk factors of ITN use among individuals with access. Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was used for model parameter selection. Odds ratios were estimated with corresponding 95% confidence intervals.ResultsThe proportion of households in Guinea with at least one ITN was 44%, ranging from a low of 25% in Conakry to a high of 54% in Labé. Use of ITNs among those with access was 66.1% nationally, ranging from 35.2% in Labé to 89.7% in N'zérékoré. Risk factors for household ITN ownership were household size, marital status of the household head, education level of the household head, and region. For ITN use among those with access, risk factors were age, wealth quintile, marital status, and region. In the seven regions of Guinea and capital of Conakry, risk factors for household ITN ownership were household size in Boké, Faranah, and Kankan; education level of the household head in Boké, Faranah, and N'zérékoré; age of the household head in Conakry and Labé; children under five in the household in Kankan; and wealth quintile in Mamou. For ITN use among those with access, risk factors were marital status in Conakry, Faranah, Kindia, Labé, Mamou, and N'zérékoré; place of residence in Labé; children under five in the household in Labé; wealth quintile in Mamou; and age in Faranah and N'zérékoré.ConclusionsThis analysis identified national and region-specific factors that affect ownership and use among those with access in Guinea. Future ITN and social-behavioural change campaigns in Guinea may particularly want to target larger households, households without children, and areas with lower perceived risk of malaria if universal coverage and usage are to be achieved for optimal malaria prevention.

Project description:Over the past decade, significant gains have been made in the implementation of malaria prevention measures in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa, including the distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). These have been shown to cause a reduction in the incidence of malaria and its consequences such as maternal anaemia, stillbirths and intrauterine growth restriction. Currently most nations in Africa have policies for distributing ITNs to pregnant women through various mechanisms, however coverage remains well below the targets. This review summarizes recent evidence regarding the correlation between ownership and use of ITNs and the determinants of both, in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa, and reviews interventions directed at improving coverage. A review of the literature using Pubmed, CINAHL and scanning of reference lists was conducted in October 2012 and 59 articles were selected for final review. The research obtained was a mixture of national and district level surveys, and a narrative synthesis of the data was undertaken. Ownership of ITNs varied from as low as 3% to greater than 80%, and the main determinants were found to be education level, knowledge of malaria, community involvement, socio-economic status and parity, although the significance of each varied between the different settings and studies reviewed. In more than half the settings where data were available, the combination of lack of availability and lack of use of an available net meant that less than half of all pregnancies received the recommended intervention. Supply and cost remain major barriers to achieving optimal coverage, but the additional important contributor to reduced efficiency of intervention was the clear discrepancy between ownership and use, with available ITN use below 60% in several settings. Cited reasons for not using an ITN, where one was available, included discomfort, problems with hanging up nets and lack of space, low awareness of need, and seasonal variations in use. These findings highlight the need for context-specific approaches and educational components to be incorporated into ITN distribution programmes to address some of the reasons why some pregnant women do not use the ITNs they own.

Dataset Information

Socio-demographic factors influencing the ownership and utilization of insecticide-treated bed nets among malaria vulnerable groups in the Buea Health District, Cameroon.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Socio-demographic factors influencing the ownership and utilization of insecticide-treated bed nets among malaria vulnerable groups in the Buea Health District, Cameroon.

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