Mosquito nets in a rural area of Western Kenya: ownership, use and quality.
Summary of "Mosquito nets in a rural area of Western Kenya: ownership, use and quality."
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are regarded as one of the most effective strategies to prevent malaria in Africa. This study analyses the use and quality of nets owned by households in an area of high net coverage.
METHODS:
A structured questionnaire on ownership and use of nets was administered to the households of individuals sampled from a local health centre in south Kisii district, Kenya. A physical inspection of all the nets in the households was done and their conditions recorded on spot check forms designed for that purpose.
RESULTS:
Of the 670 households surveyed, 95% owned at least one net. Only 59% of household residents slept under a net during the night prior to the survey. 77% of those who slept under a net used an insecticide-treated net (ITN) or long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN). Out of 1,627 nets in the survey households, 40%were deemed to be of poor quality because of holes. Compared to other age groups, children aged 5-14 years were most likely to have slept under nets of poor quality (odds ratio 1.41; p= 0.007).
CONCLUSIONS:
Although net ownership was high following increased delivery of ITNs, continuous promotion of effective maintenance and routine use is needed and efforts to replace damaged nets must be implemented.
Affiliation
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Malaria journal
ISSN: 1475-2875
Pages: 250
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20813034
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-9-250
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Hospitals, Rural
Hospitals located in a rural area.
Rural Population
The inhabitants of rural areas or of small towns classified as rural.
Mosquito Nets
Free-standing or supported light weight meshwork fabric made of cotton, silk, polyester or other material having openings too small to allow entry of mosquitoes or other insects, thereby protecting against INSECT BITES; INSECT STINGS, and insect-borne diseases.
Appalachian Region
A geographical area of the United States with no definite boundaries but comprising northeastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, western North Carolina, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, western Virginia, West Virginia, western Maryland, southwestern Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, and southern New York.
Western World
A historical and cultural entity dispersed across the wide geographical area of Europe, as opposed to the East, Asia, and Africa. The term was used by scholars through the late medieval period. Thereafter, with the impact of colonialism and the transmission of cultures, Western World was sometimes expanded to include the Americas. (Dr. James H. Cassedy, NLM History of Medicine Division)
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