Awareness and Use of Insecticide-Treated Bed Nets among Children Attending Outpatient Clinic at UNTH; Enugu - the Need for an Effective Mobilization Process

Background: The promotion of insecticide-treated net (ITN) can be a key approach towards the reduction of morbidity and mortality from malaria. Objective: To determine the proportion of mothers using insecticide treated nets for their children and reasons for nonuse. Study design: Prospective hospital-based study. Method: Consecutive mothers attending the children's out patient clinic of UNTH; Ituku-Ozalla; Enugu; whose children presented with fever without localizing focus were interviewed with the aid of an open-ended structured questionnaire. Results: Awareness of ITN was found in 184 (80) of the 230 mothers interviewed; while only 48 (26.1) use it for their children. There was statistically significant difference in terms of ITN awareness between the highly educated mothers and those with lower educational qualification (p=0.000) but; in terms of ITN usage; there was no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.40). Socio economic class did not influence the use of ITN (p=0.153). A greater number; 56 (41.2) have no reason for non-use. Reasons for nonuse include use of windows and door nets 22 (16.2) and not convenient to spread 18 (13.2). Conclusion: There was a high awareness of ITN; which did not influence usage

Effect of Social Class and Area of Domicile on the Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthiasis in Nursery and Primary School Children in Enugu

Objective:The primary objective of the study was to determine the effect of social class and area of domicile on the prevalence of helminthiasis in nursery and primary school children in Enugu.Subjects and method: This was a cross-sectional study in which stool samples were obtained from 460 nursery and primary school children from different social classes and different areas of domicile and analysed for intestinal helminthiasis using the Kato Katz method.Results: One hundred and sixty-six (36.1) of the 460 children studied lived in the urban area; 215 (46.7) lived in the semi-urban area and 79 (17.2) lived in the urban slum area. The prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection was lowest in children living in urban areas (10.2) and highest in those in urban slums (48.4). There was a significant relationship between residential abode or area of domicile and prevalence of helminthic infection (?2 = 59.54; df = 2; p = 0.001).The prevalence of intestinal helminthic infection was highest in the lower class (50.9); lowest in the upper class (9.7) and intermediate in the middle class (21.7). This trend was statistically significant (?2 = 65.06; df = 2; p = 0.001). Conclusion: It is concluded that the prevalence of intestinal helminthiasis is affected by both areas of domicile and social class of children. Hence; intervention by the government to create better areas of domicile and to improve the social class of its populace will reduce the prevalence of intestinal helminthiasis