Mosquito nets in a rural area of Western Kenya: ownership, use and quality.
BACKGROUND
Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are regarded as one of the most effective strategies to prevent malaria in Africa. This study analyses the use and quality of nets owned by households in an area of high net coverage.


METHODS
A structured questionnaire on ownership and use of nets was administered to the households of individuals sampled from a local health centre in south Kisii district, Kenya. A physical inspection of all the nets in the households was done and their conditions recorded on spot check forms designed for that purpose.


RESULTS
Of the 670 households surveyed, 95% owned at least one net. Only 59% of household residents slept under a net during the night prior to the survey. 77% of those who slept under a net used an insecticide-treated net (ITN) or long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN). Out of 1,627 nets in the survey households, 40% were deemed to be of poor quality because of holes. Compared to other age groups, children aged 5-14 years were most likely to have slept under nets of poor quality (odds ratio 1.41; p = 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
Although net ownership was high following increased delivery of ITNs, continuous promotion of effective maintenance and routine use is needed and efforts to replace damaged nets must be implemented.
Githinji
Sophia
S
Malaria Public Health and Epidemiology Group, Centre for Geographic Medicine, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Collaborative Programme, Kenyatta National Hospital Grounds P,O, Box 43640-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. sgithinji@nairobi.kemri-wellcome.org
Herbst
Susanne
S
Kistemann
Thomas
T
Noor
Abdisalan M
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods*; D010067:Ownership / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Trop Med Int Health. 2003 Aug;8(8):693-703
12869090
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2007 Nov;77(5):963-71
17984361
Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1996 Sep;27(3):610-6
9185279
Lancet. 2007 Sep 22;370(9592):1035-9
17889242
Malar J. 2010 Mar 24;9:84
20334677
Malar J. 2009 Nov 23;8:264
19930654
Malar J. 2007 Dec 03;6:158
18053166
Malar J. 2006 May 21;5:44
16712738
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2007 Dec;77(6 Suppl):243-8
18165499
Malar J. 2009 May 21;8:109
19460153
Malar J. 2009 Apr 16;8:65
19371415
Malar J. 2008 Aug 07;7:153
18687145
Lancet. 2009 Jan 3;373(9657):58-67
19019422
PLoS Med. 2007 Aug;4(8):e255
17713981
JAMA. 2007 May 23;297(20):2241-50
17519414
Malar J. 2008 Aug 27;7:165
18752662
BMC Public Health. 2010 Mar 16;10:137
20233413
BMC Public Health. 2009 Oct 01;9:369
19796380
Malar J. 2010 Jul 22;9:211
20663143
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Mar;82(3):420-5
20207867
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2009 Feb;80(2):209-14
19190215
BMJ. 2009 Jul 02;339:b2434
19574316