ABSTRACT
Preventive programs are standardized behavioral interventions that either stop or reduce course of diseases. Indeed, it is known that much of public health programs are synonymous to preventive medicine, which constitute major theme in primary healthcare. The objective of this study was to provide preliminary summaries of research programs, which determined nutritional status on visual impairment (VI) among children,utilization of ITNs and reduction of HIV/AIDS infection in Nigeria. The studies adopted intervention approaches. In Delta state, antioxidant vitamins and ferrous sulphate were administered to participants, to assess impact on visual impairment. In health education on utilizationof ITNs in Bayelsa and Rivers states; as well as on HIV/AIDS infection in Northern Nigeria. Statistically, the studies followed a quantitative method. Baseline percentages of vitamin A and C deficiencies, anaemia, and VI differed with respective post-intervention levels. Post-intervention result showed that 92.1% owned ITNs, improved knowledge of causes and consequences of malaria. On HIV, community-based television, and radio awareness programs on the use of condom influenced the reduction of HIV/AIDS infection by up to 30%. In conclusion, the preliminary reports indicatethatantioxidant vitamins and iron supplementation ameliorated anaemia and VI. Public health awarenesscampaign influenced behavioural change wheel on use of ITNs as well asuse of condom for the reduction of HIV/AIDS infection in Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
Background: The blood-feeding patterns are crucial in incriminating disease vectors as well as facilitating the design and consolidation of effective vector control interventions in an area. Objective: This study aimed to establish if prolonged use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) caused a shift in the preferred hosts of the common malaria vectors as the hosts were under the bed net. Such a shift would render ITNs less effective and would probably explain the continued morbidity and mortality due to malaria in the highly endemic Kamuli district. Methods: A total of 3,519 indoor and outdoor human biting female Anopheles gambiae sensu latoand An. funestusmosquitoes were collected from 48 householdsusing human-baited bed net traps. All 187 indoor resting blood-fed anophelines collected were tested by direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for blood meal host identification. Of these, 73 mid guts came from 24 households in villages with a 69% ITNs coverage, while 114 mid guts were from 24 households in non-ITN villages. Results: Blood meal hosts were identified in only 10.96% (n = 8) and 14.91% (n = 17) of the Anophelesblood meals from the intervention and non-intervention zones, respectively. Other blood meals could not be clearly identified. Eight (100%) blood meals in the intervention zone were from humans, while in the non-intervention zone, 15 (88.24%), one (5.88%) and one (5.88%) came from humans, cattle and goat, respectively. These findings demonstrated that the malaria vectors in Kamuli district are anthropophilic, with nearly all the mosquitoes collected from both zones feeding on humans during every blood meal (p = 0.82). This indicated high vector-human contacts, and thus implicating these species as important in the transmission of Plasmodiumspecies and probably other infections. Conclusion: The use of insecticide-treated bed nets is effective for controlling malaria vectors inside houses, evoking universal coverage of houses in the area.
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Background: Over the past decade, significant gains have been made in the implementation of malaria preventive measures in sub-Saharan Africa, including the distribution of insecticide treated nets (ITNs). These have been shown to cause a reduction in the incidence of malaria and other mosquito borne diseases. Methods: Knowledge, attitude and practices of the use of ITNs were critically evaluated in Aba, south eastern Nigeria from February to July, 2013. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four communities in Aba. A total of 500 household heads or their representatives were surveyed using a pre-tested structural questionnaire administered through house-to-house interview. Results: Out of the 500 respondents interviewed, 460 (92.0%) associated malaria with mosquito bites. On home management practices used to prevent mosquito bites, 299 (59.8%) use ITNs, 100 (20.0%) use insecticide sprays, 45 (9.0%) use window/door nets while 32 (6.4%) use repellants. The use of ITNs based on age showed that people between ages 26 and above had the highest percentage (51.8%), while ages 15-20 had the least (9.3%). Based on levels of education, 179 (66.5%) of those with tertiary education use ITNs, 65 (21.0%) of those with secondary education and only 3 (1.0%) of the illiterate group use ITNs. Conclusion: Despite increased access to this intervention over time, the use of ITNs still remains low. There is a need therefore to create more awareness of the anti-malarial significance of ITNs, through intensified health education programmes. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in Aba, southeast, Nigeria.
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Aim: To document the level of ITNs ownership and utilization for children within the Sagamu Local Government Area in Ogun State three years after the commencement of major distribution exercise of this simple tool. Study Design: A descriptive cross -sectional community based study. Place and Duration of Study: Sagamu Local Government area in Nigeria. May 2009. Methodology: Study involved one hundred and thirty one (131) children within the Local Government with fever or a 2 day history of fever prior to the day of the meeting following a 3 day community campaign. They were enrolled into the study using a systematic random sampling method. Pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered by research assistants/investigators to obtain data on ownership of ITNs by the caregiver and their utilization by the index child. Factors that may affect ownership and utilization were also documented. Frequency tables were generated for all the categorical variables and association between them tested using the chi-square test and logistic regression. Level of significance was set at p value <0.05. Result: The mean age of the study population was 47.3±50.6 months for the children and 28.8±5.9 years for the mothers. Among the 128 respondents, ITNs ownership was 9.2%, utilization was 4.6%. House-types and mothers’ occupation were positive predictors of use (r=0.97). There was a strong positive correlation between mother’s educational level and ownership (r=0.96). Ownership was however limited by a combination of lack of awareness and knowledge of access point as well as cost. Conclusion: While improving the awareness of the populace through radio jingles and social marketing as well as use of private health facilities as access points will aid in better ownership of ITNs, subsidizing the cost of ITNs rather than making it out rightly free may ensure better utilization.
ABSTRACT
Nigeria ranks among countries with the highest burden of malaria. In an effort to achieve the aim of the Roll Back Malaria Programme of scaling up ITN use, the Nigerian Government distributed free ITNs to many households in the country. However, several factors were associated with non-utilisation of the ITNs. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess such factors in Gimba village, a rural community of Kaduna State, Nigeria. It was conducted during Community Diagnosis practical fi eld posting of trained fi nal year medical students of Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, in July 2012. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from all households in the community. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done using STATA (Version 11. Stata Corporation, 2009). Most of the households own at least, one freely acquired ITN (82%). However, in 40.8% of such households, no member slept under an ITN the night before the survey. Farmers were more unlikely to use an ITN compared to non-farmers (RR = 1.89; 95% C.I = 0.78 –2.91). Instead of ITN, some farmers use “otapiapia” a cheap, unpatented, locally made pesticide for controlling mosquitoes. Also, respondents with low scores on malaria risk perception were more unlikely to use an ITN compared to those with high scores (RR = 1.08; 95% C.I = 0.94 – 1.23).The result indicated that several factors were associated with non-utilization of freely acquired ITNs. It is recommended that ITN distribution should be accompanied by Health Education on Malaria
ABSTRACT
Malaria has been described as the foremost public health concern in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, Nigeria inclusive. This survey set out to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice on the use of ITNs as a malaria preventive tool among pregnant women and to determine its level of recommendation and proper instructions given by pharmacists. Structured questionnaires were administered to pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at two selected hospitals in Alimosho Local Government Area (ALGA) of Lagos State and also to community pharmacists practicing in the same ALGA. Data was analyzed using Epi Info 2002 and Microsoft Excel. Forty eight community pharmacists and 163 pregnant women participated in the study. About 77 and 91% of pregnant women were aware of ITNs at Igando GH and the private hospital respectively. Only 11.2% and 37.5% actually used it. Majority of the pharmacists (95.8%) recommended the use of ITNs and 95% of them also gave counsel on ITN use while 5% did not. There is a wide difference between the level of awareness and the rate of use of ITNs by pregnant women. More emphasis should be placed on ownership and use of ITNs so that the benefit of its protection can be derived.
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The study assessed the operational feasibility and acceptability of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) in one Primary Health Centre (PHC) in a falciparum malaria endemic district in the state of Orissa, India, where 74 percent of the people are tribes and DDT indoor residual spraying had been withdrawn and ITNs introduced by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme. To a population of 63,920, 24,442 ITNs were distributed free of charge through 101 treatment centers during July-August 2002. Interview of 1,130, 1,012 and 126 respondents showed that the net use rates were 80 percent, 74 percent and 55 percent in the cold, rainy and summer seasons, respectively. Since using ITNs, 74.5-76.6 percent of the respondents observed reduction of mosquito bites and 7.2-32.1 percent reduction of malaria incidence; 37 percent expressed willingness to buy ITNs if the cost was lower and they were affordable. Up to ten months post-treatment, almost 100 percent mortality of vector mosquitoes was recorded on unwashed and washed nets (once or twice). Health workers re-treated the nets at the treatment centers eight months after distribution on a cost-recovery basis. The coverage reported by the PHC was only 4.2 percent, mainly because of unwillingness of the people to pay for re-treatment and to go to the treatment centers from their villages. When the re-treatment was continued at the villages involving personnel from several departments, the coverage improved to about 90 percent.Interview of 126 respondents showed that among those who got their nets re-treated, 81.4 percent paid cash for the re-treatment and the remainder were reluctant to pay. Majority of those who paid said that they did so due to the fear that if they did not do so they would lose benefits from other government welfare schemes. The 2nd re-treatment was therefore carried out free of charge nine months after the 1st re-treatment and thus achieved coverage of 70.4 percent. The study showed community...
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Humans , Male , Anopheles , Attitude , Insecticides , Mosquito Control/methods , Awareness , Feasibility Studies , India , Interviews as Topic , Malaria, Falciparum/transmission , Mosquito Control/economics , Mosquito Control/instrumentation , Rural Population , SeasonsABSTRACT
Objectives To learn the bednet use and influential factors among Wa and Lahu ethnics,and further to explore feasible ways of promoting the use of bednets and insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). Methods Questionnaire surveys and statistical analysis with EpiInfo 2000 software package were carried out. Results Only did 2.8% [95% confidence intervals(95%CI):1.2%-5.4%] of Wa and 4.8 % (95%CI:2.8%-8.1%) of Lahu ethnic members use bednets frequently or sometimes. Bednets were not available for 67.7% (95% CI:62.0%-73.1%) of Wa and 59.7% (95% CI:53.1%- 66.1%) of Lahu ethnic peoples. Most people who had bednets did not often use them for anti-mosquitoes. Results of multivariate logistic regression confirmed significant correlation between bednet use and knowledge of malaria prevention. Conclusion The coverage and use rates are very low in the two ethnical minorities. Health education, communication and social marketing are the strategies for promoting the usage of bednet and ITNs.
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Objective To analyze malaria situation and evaluate the effect of control program in Henan Province during 1990-2005. Methods Data were collected and analyzed on the measures and effects of malaria control, vector surveillance, blood examination for cases with fever and serological surveillance in the province during 1990-2005. Results In the 16 years, a total of 802 700 people were given pre-transmission season treatment with chloroquine and primaquine for a radical cure of vivax malaria, chemoprophylaxis was given to 764 300 people at high risk during the transmission season, treatment or presumptive treatment was given to 43 891 cases. 11 216 100 cases with fever were tested and 11 213 (0.10%) were found positive accounting for 29.01% (11 213/338 654) of all malaria cases. A total of 1 332 800 bed nets were treated with insecticide and 1 999 300 people were protected in 1990-1992 and 1996-1999. 34 846 residents including pupils were tested with IFAT in 1990-2000 and 1149 (3.30%) were positive. The parasite rate amongst 71 234 local residents including pupils was 0.40% (286/71 234). The principal transmitting vectors were Anopheles sinensis and An.anthropophagus. The man-biting habit for An. sinensis and An.anthropophagus was 0.060 8 and 0.314 3 respectively, and the vectorial capacity of An.anthropophagus was 22.4 times higher than that of An.sinensis. In this period, 38 654 malaria cases were reported in the province and the annual malaria incidence was 2.62 per hundred thousand, the lowest annual incidence was in 1992 (0.37 per hundred thousand). 70.05% (27 076/38 654) of these malaria cases were from areas where An. anthropophagus was present. Conclusions In general, the malaria control activities have been effective and the epidemiological situation kept stable in Henan Province, although in some areas the situation is unstable and outbreak spots or focal epidemics occur.