Factors Associated with Coverage and Usage of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets in Madagascar

ABSTRACT

In October 2007; long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) were distributed in 59 of the 111 districts in Madagascar as part of a nationwide child survival campaign. A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted six months post-campaign to evaluate net ownership; use and equity. Here; we examined the effects of socioeconomic factors on LLIN ownership and usage in districts with and without net distribution during the campaign. Our data demonstrated that in districts with LLIN distribution; LLIN ownership was similar across all wealth groups in households with at least one child under the age of five years (90.5versus 88.6); in districts without net distribution; 57.8of households in the poorest tertile compared to 90.1of households in the least poor tertile owned at least one LLIN. In contrast; in LLIN-owning households; both in districts with and without net distribution; higher socio-economic status was not associated with use among children under five years. These findings suggest that socio-economic status contributes to the household net ownership but once a household owns a net; socio-economic status is not associated with net use