Inequalities in purchase of mosquito nets and willingness to pay for insecticide-treated nets in Nigeria: challenges for malaria control interventions.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the equity implications of insecticide-treated nets (ITN) distribution programmes that are based on user charges.


METHODS
A questionnaire was used to collect information on previous purchase of untreated nets and hypothetical willingness to pay (WTP) for ITNs from a random sample of householders. A second survey was conducted one month later to collect information on actual purchases of ITNs. An economic status index was used for characterizing inequity.


RESULTS
The lower economic status quintiles were less likely to have previously purchased untreated nets and also had a lower hypothetical and actual WTP for ITNs.


CONCLUSIONS
ITN distribution programmes need to take account of the diversity in WTP for ITNs if they are to ensure equity in access to the nets. This could form part of the overall poverty reduction strategy.
Onwujekwe
Obinna
O
Gates Malaria Partnership, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London UK. onwujekwe@lshtm.ac.uk
Hanson
Kara
K
Fox-Rushby
Julia
J
D000818:Animals; D009033:Culicidae / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D009549:Nigeria; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000191:economics*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D007306:Insecticides