Knowledge and practice of household mosquito breeding control measures between a dengue hotspot and non-hotspot in Singapore.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to compare the knowledge and practices of household mosquito-breeding control measures between a dengue hotspot (HS) and a non-hotspot (NHS).


METHODS
Eight hundred households were randomly sampled from HS and NHS areas, and an National Environment Agency (NEA) questionnaire was administered to heads of the households. Interviewers were blinded to the dengue status of households. We included subjects aged above 16 years, who were communicative and currently living in the household. Chi-square test was used to compare proportions and multiple logistic regression was used to adjust for socio-demographic differences between both areas.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 59.0% (n = 472). There were significant differences in gender, educational level, employment status and housing type between HS and NHS (all P <0.05). NHS residents were less knowledgeable in 6 out of 8 NEA-recommended anti-mosquito breeding actions: changing water in vase/bowls [AOR (adjusted OR), 0.20; CI, 0.08-0.47; P <0.01], adding sand granular insecticide to water [AOR, 0.49; CI, 0.31-0.71; P <0.01], turning over pails when not in use [AOR, 0.39; CI, 0.17-0.89; P = 0.02], removing flower pot/plates [AOR, 0.35; CI, 0.18-0.67; P <0.01], removing water in flower pot/plates [AOR, 0.36; CI, 0.17-0.75; P <0.01] and putting insecticide in roof gutters [AOR 0.36; CI, 0.13-0.98; P = 0.04]. Hotspot residents reported better practice of only 2 out of 8 NEA-recommended mosquito-breeding control measures: changing water in vases or bowls on alternate days [AOR, 2.74; CI, 1.51-4.96; P <0.01] and removing water from flower pot plates on alternate days [AOR, 1.95; CI, 1.01-3.77; P = 0.05].


CONCLUSIONS
More HS residents were knowledgeable and reported practicing mosquito-breeding control measures compared to NHS residents. However, a knowledge-practice gap still existed.
Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore. daveong85@hotmail.com
Dave Q R
DQ
Ong
Neela
N
Sitaram
Mohana
M
Rajakulendran
Gerald C H
GC
Koh
Adeline L H
AL
Seow
Evan S L
ES
Ong
Fung Yin
FY
Pang
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods*; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology