Comparison of coverage with insecticide-treated nets in a Tanzanian town and villages where nets and insecticide are either marketed or provided free of charge.
BACKGROUND
There is much emphasis on social marketing as a means of scaling up coverage with insecticide-treated nets and the question has arisen whether nets provided free-of-charge will be looked after by householders.


METHODS
Over several years questionnaires and surveys of usage and condition of nets were carried out throughout a town and 15 villages in north-east Tanzania, where nets and insecticide have to be purchased and in 24 other villages where over 15000 nets had been donated and annual re-treatment is provided free-of-charge.


RESULTS
There was very high population coverage in the town but, in the villages where nets have to be purchased, only 9.3% of people used nets which were intact and/or had been insecticide-treated and could, therefore, provide protection. However, where nets had been provided free, over 90% of the nets were still present and were brought for re-treatment several years later.


CONCLUSIONS
In this part of Tanzania, social marketing has performed well in a town but very poorly in villages. However, the study showed that people look after and bring for re-treatment nets which had been provided free-of-charge.
Maxwell
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London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK. cmaxwell@nimr.or.tz
Rwegoshora
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Magesa
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Curtis
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D000293:Adolescent; D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000191:economics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014505:Urban Population
D007306:Insecticides