Insecticide - treated bednet ownership and utilization in Rivers State, Nigeria before a state-wide net distribution...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• Vector-Borne Diseases

Background:

• Malaria poses a significant health and economic burden in endemic regions.
• Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are a key global strategy to reduce malaria.
• High ITN coverage (>70%) can decrease clinical malaria by over 50% and child mortality by 15-30%.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess household ownership and utilization of ITNs in Rivers State, Nigeria.
• To establish a baseline before a statewide ITN distribution campaign.
• To inform public health interventions for malaria control.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Rivers State, Nigeria.
• Multi-stage sampling selected Local Government Areas, communities, and households.
• Data were collected via questionnaires from 811 household heads or proxies and analyzed using Epi-Info software.

Main Results:

• 68.1% of households owned bednets, but only 30.2% owned long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs).
• Of households owning ITNs, only 37.2% utilized them the night before the survey.
• The mean age of respondents was 47.96 ± 4.39 years.

Conclusions:

• Household ITN ownership and utilization rates were low in Rivers State.
• Behavior change communication strategies should be integrated into ITN distribution programs.
• Improved utilization is crucial for maximizing the impact of ITN interventions.