Factors Influencing The Utilization Of Mosquitoe Bednets In Controling Malaria In Kombewa District

Abstract

Use of insecticide-treated nets (lTNs) continues to offer potential strategy for malaria prevention in endemic areas. However their effectiveness, sustainability and massive scale up remains a challenge in malaria control due to socio- cultural, education, economic and awareness of the local community which are indispensable during design and implementation stages. A descriptive household survey was conducted in Kombewa Division in which 392 households were sampled randomly to represent socio-economic and geographical diversity. Quantitative and qualitative information ofthe respondents were collected by use of structured questionnaires. Questions were precoded and entered in SPSS where data analysis was done. Descriptive statistics and co-relational analysis were done to determine the relationship between independent variables and dependant variables. The study findings were that 73.2% owned bed nets and had suffered from malaria; however, 43.3% did not use the bed nets regularly. The study highlighted potential social-cultural, education, economic and lack of awareness to be significant for inappropriate use of bed nets. In conclusion, education, socio-cultural, lack of awareness and economic factors are key to inappropriate bed net use. For effective and sustainable implementation of bed nets in Kombewa Division, the study recommended that the government should strategize and improve on education and economic factors in the region to reduce malaria cases and hence death. The two will lead to improved level of awareness and eradicate sociocultural factors. The study also recommended that further research should be done in detail on larger and different communities in malaria endemic areas which may prompt other findings that might be useful in malaria prevention.