Utilization of Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets and Parasitaemia at 6 Months after a Mass Distribution Exercise among Households in Mbarara Municipality, Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Community Based Study

Abstract

Background Utilization of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) after free and mass distribution exercise has not been adequately studied. The objectives of this study were to assess ownership and utilization of LLINs following a mass distribution campaign in a Ugandan urban municipality. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in western Uganda among households with children under 5 years, at 6 months after a mass LLIN distribution exercise. We administered a questionnaire to measure LLIN ownership and utilization. We also measured parasitaemia among children under five years. Results Of the 346 households enrolled, 342 (98.8%) still owned all the LLINs. LLIN use was reported among 315 (91.1%) adult respondents and among 318 (91.9%) children under five. Parasitaemia was detected among 10 (2.9%) children under five. Males (OR=2.65, 95% CI 0.99-7.07), single respondents (OR=10.35, 95% CI 1.64-65.46), having a fitting bed net size (OR= 3.59, 95% CI 1.71-7.59), and no childhood malaria episode reported in the home in the last 12 months (OR=1.69, 95% CI 1.02-2.83) were all associated with LLIN use. Conclusions Ownership of LLIN is very high, and parasitaemia among the children was very low. Low parasitaemia may be attributed to high LLIN utilization. Long term follow-up should be done to determine durability of the ownership and utilization.

Long Lasting Insecticide-treated Bed Net Ownership, Utilization and Associated Factors Among School-age Children in Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay Districts, Southern Ethiopia

“…Bed net utilization was signi cantly associated with the presence of either a pregnant mother or under ve years aged children in the household among internally displaced households in the Democratic Republic of Congo (16), household members in the Budondo sub-country in Uganda (28), a national community based survey in Madagascar (30). In agreement with our nding, bed net utilization by SAC was not affected by the presence of pregnant mother or children aged less than ve years in the household in Malawi (45) and general population in Yemen (38).…”

“…In strati ed analysis of studies targeting the general population as well as studies focused on SAC reveal that the burden of malaria was higher among this group of the population in Ethiopia (13)(14)(15). The consequence of malaria infection on children suffering affects their physical growth, mental development and overall economic development of the country (16,17). Above all, they were responsible for about 60% of infection to mosquito vector for the transmission of the disease in all seasons (18).…”

“…There were few studies that assessed the utilization of bed nets by SAC. In studies comparing bed net utilization between SAC and other population segments, SAC less likely used bed nets (16,17). Despite SAC become at high risk of malaria and malaria associated morbidities, their access to and bene t from existing malaria prevention interventions were not well addressed.…”

Long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net ownership, utilization and associated factors among school-age children in Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay districts, Southern Ethiopia

“…Strati ed analysis of studies targeting the general population, as well as studies focused on SAC, revealed that the burden of malaria was higher among this group of the population in Ethiopia [13][14][15]. The consequence of malaria infection on children affects their physical growth, mental development and overall economic development of the country [16,17]. Above all, they were responsible for about 60% of infection to the mosquito vector for the transmission of the disease in all seasons [18].…”

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

“…Malaria continues to be the most prevalent parasitic infection responsible for high burden of disease and deaths in low-income countries. About half of the world's population lives in malaria endemic areas and pregnant women are considered as the high-risk group for malaria transmission (1). As a result nearly 435,000 deaths annually and 219 million malaria cases were reported in 2017 globally.…”