Effectiveness of a health education intervention on the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets for the prevention of malaria in pregnant women of Pakistan: A Quasi-experimental study

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Background: Malaria being a pressing public health issue in Pakistan can be prevented if long lasting insecticides are made freely available in the country. However, the success of this prevention strategy depends upon usage of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) by community. Hence the focus of present study was to determine the effectiveness of health education on adoption of LLINs among pregnant women living in remote district Tharparkar Sindh Pakistan. Methods: A Quasi-experimental study design with control and intervention group was conducted with 200 pregnant women (100in each group). Women in intervention group were provided with health education sessions on malaria for 12 weeks while those in control group obtained routine information by lady health workers (LHWs). Pre and post intervention assessment was done for use of LLINs; and was statistically analyzed using independent sample t-test, chi-square with p values, and mean scores. Results: Baseline was conducted with 200 pregnant women. Demographic characteristics were similar in both groups except for age, education, income, type of latrine and source of drinking water. After intervention, as compared to baseline, knowledge of participants increased two-fold in intervention group whereas it remained unchanged in control group. Furthermore, statistically significance difference (&lt;0.05) between intervention and control groups on use of LLINs was found with increase in LLINs usage among intervention group. Conclusions: Results proved that health education could be an effective intervention for improving knowledge and usage of LLINs among pregnant women for preventing malaria. Therefore, such educational interventions have a potential to be implemented at scale by incorporating them into routine health sessions provided by health workers to pregnant women so that maternal and child morbidity and mortality due to malaria can be prevented.</jats:p>