KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION AND UTILIZATION OF INSECTICIDE TREATED NET FOR THE PREVENTION OF MALARIA AMONG MOTHERS OF UNDER-FIVE IN AGBEDE-ADODO COMMUNITY, IBADAN

Abstract

Nigeria with other malaria endemic nations joined the RBM partnership to support the Millennium Development Goal 6 which was aimed at halting and reversing incidence of malaria and other childhood diseases by 2015. Therefore, free distribution of nets in communities in Nigeria through ante-natal and stand- alone programs kicked off to reduce malaria episodes among mothers and under-five children which was supported by Oyo State government in collaboration with some non-governmental organizations to distribute ITNs freely in every house-hold. However, assessment of community perception and adequate follow-up of ITNs utilization were lacking. Therefore, the knowledge, perception, and utilization of insecticide treated nets for the prevention of malaria among mothers of under-5 in Agbede-Adodo community were investigated. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Agbede-Adodo, Ibadan among 385 randomly selected women. A validated questionnaire which contained 50-point knowledge and 18-point perception scales was used for data collection in categories of good, fair and poor knowledge and favourable, borderhalf and unfavourable perception. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics; Chi square analysis was carried out to show the degree of association between knowledge and education variables at 5% level of significance and 95% confidence interval. Respondents’ mean age was 28.7+7.2 and 77.1% were married with 46.2% having one under-five child while 51.9% were Muslims and 35.3% completed secondary school education. However, there was no statistical significant relationship between educational level of respondents and knowledge of malaria and ITNs. The mean knowledge score was 36.7+ 7.4. Analysis of “causes of malaria” showed that 53.2%, 78.4%, 87.5%, 51.2%, 38.2% and 87.0% of the respondents believed malaria was caused by eating too much oily food, walking in excessive sun, living near stagnant water, drinking unboiled water, eating starchy food and mosquito bites, respectively. While 46.0%, 44.9% and 40.0% mentioned that malaria was transmitted through the bites of infected female anopheles mosquito, sleeping beside someone who had malaria and all mosquitos’ bites, respectively with respondents having good knowledge of symptoms of complicated and uncomplicated malaria. Respondents mean perception score was 11.6+ 4.6 with 71.9% having favourable perception towards ITNs. Majority (85.7%) of the respondents

received ITNs while 64.4% reportedly slept under the nets the night before the interview with 25.1% claiming they preferred to hang the nets without use. Analysis of the barrier to ITNs utilization showed that 47.8%, 42.9%, and 34.5% of the respondents respectively claimed that the nets were too hot in the dry season, they did not allow in enough air and tucking them in at night was burdensome. On the other hand, 90.9%, 87.8%, and 83.4% of the respondents claimed that the benefits in ITNs included not getting malaria often, not being bothered by insects and not being bitten by mosquito. Promotion and education are keys to making progress to achieving a malaria free community. Public enlightenment efforts should be intensified and focused on areas like causes and mode of transmission of malaria and positively positioning ITNs as a major tool in malaria prevention.