Willingness to accept Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) for Malaria Prevention and associated factors in Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background Indoor residual spraying (IRS) remains one of the key vector control interventions for reducing malaria transmission. However, willingness to accept and determinants have not been well assessed in areas with less access to health facilities and infrastructure. Hence, this study aimed to assess households willingness to accept IRS and associated factors in Bench Sheko zone, Southwest Region of Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted using 589 randomly selected household heads from April 1 to 30, 2023. A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of willingness to accept IRS using SPSS version 25. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% CI was used to measure the strength of the association. Result The overall household willingness to accept IRS for malaria control was 59.4% (95% CI: 55.3%- 63.3%). Households with secondary school education and above (AOR = 4.4; 95% CI: 2.21–8.53; age ≥ 35 years, AOR = 3.51; 95% CI: 1.68–7.33; good knowledge about malaria, AOR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.21–4.26; receiving sensitization, AOR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.05–3.76; increased odds of accepting an IRS; perceived bedbug and flea activation, AOR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20–0.97; and decreased likelihood of IRS acceptance after controlling for other variables in the final model. Conclusion The willingness to accept the IRS was low due to socioeconomic, demographic, and behavioral factors. Therefore, enhancing targeted community sensitization activities and mobilization is crucial for maximizing the uptake and acceptance of the IRS.