High retention and appropriate use of insecticide-treated nets distributed to HIV-affected households in Rakai, Uganda: results from interviews and home visits.
BACKGROUND
Distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) has recently been incorporated into comprehensive care strategies for HIV-positive people in malaria-endemic areas. WHO now recommends free or low-cost distribution of ITNs to all persons in malaria-endemic areas, regardless of age, pregnancy and HIV status. Knowledge about and appropriate use of ITNs among HIV-positive ITN recipients and their household members has not been well characterized.


METHODS
142 randomly selected adults were interviewed in July-August 2006 to assess knowledge, retention, and appropriate use of ITNs they had received through a PEPFAR-funded comprehensive HIV care programme in rural Uganda.


RESULTS
Among all participants, 102 (72%, CI: 65%-79%) reported they had no ITNs except those provided by the programme. Of 131 participants who stated they were given >or= 1 ITN, 128 (98%, CI: 96%-100%) stated they still possessed at least one programme-provided ITN. Reported programme-ITN (pITN) use by participants was high: 119 participants (91%, CI: 86%-96%) reported having slept under pITN the night prior to the survey and 115 (88%, CI: 82%-94%) reported sleeping under pITN seven days per week. Being away from home and heat were the most common reasons given for not sleeping under an ITN. A sub-study of thirteen random home visits demonstrated concordance between participants' survey reports and actual use of ITNs in homes.


CONCLUSIONS
There was excellent self-reported retention and appropriate use of ITNs distributed as a part of a community-based outpatient HIV care programme. Participants perceived ITNs as useful and were unlikely to have received ITNs from other sources.
Cohee
Lauren
L
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. lcohee@jhmi.edu
Mills
Lisa A
LA
Kagaayi
Joseph
J
Jacobs
Ilana
I
Galiwango
Ronald
R
Ludigo
James
J
Ssekasanvu
Joseph
J
Reynolds
Steven J
SJ
D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012424:Rural Population; D040241:Social Marketing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda
D007306:Insecticides