title: What drives community adherence to indoor residual spraying (IRS) against malaria in Manhiça district, rural Mozambique: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria control remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) reinforced the recommendation of indoor residual spraying (IRS) with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) to reduce malaria transmission. The National Malaria Control Programme has been reporting high coverage rates of IRS in Mozambique. It is important to establish to what extent these rates are a reflection of community acceptability, and to explore the factors associated with adherence, in order to recommend suitable approaches for interventions of this nature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To understand the implementation process, reception and acceptability of the IRS program in Manhiça district, Southern Mozambique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation of IRS activities, informal interviews, and focus group discussions. Study participants comprised householders, community leaders, health care providers, sprayers, and community members. Qualitative data analysis was based on grounded theory. Secondary data from the Manhiça Demographic Surveillance System was used to complement the qualitative data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IRS was well received in most neighbourhoods. The overall coverage rates varied between 29% and 41% throughout the study period. The factors related to adherence to IRS were: immediate impact on insects in general, trust and obedience in the health authority, community leaders' influence, and acquaintance with the sprayers. Fighting malaria was not an important motivation for IRS adherence. There was a perception of limited efficacy of IRS against mosquitoes, but this did not affect adherence. Non-adherence to the intervention was mainly due to the unavailability of key householders, disagreement with the procedures, and the perception that spraying increased the burden of insects. Most respondents strongly favoured bed nets over IRS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study suggests that the contribution of IRS to malaria and mosquito control is not entirely perceived by the beneficiaries, and that other as cost effective interventions such as insecticide-treated nets are favoured over IRS. Adherence to IRS was found to be influenced by socio-political factors. There is a need to redefine the community sensitization approaches in order to make IRS a genuinely participative, acceptable, and sustainable programme.
authors: Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Rua 12, CP 1929 Manhiça, Mozambique. khatia.munguambe@manhica.net
authors: Khátia
authors: K
authors: Munguambe
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Pool
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Montgomery
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Bavo
authors: Ariel
authors: A
authors: Nhacolo
authors: Lina
authors: L
authors: Fiosse
authors: Charfudin
authors: C
authors: Sacoor
authors: Delino
authors: D
authors: Nhalungo
authors: Samuel
authors: S
authors: Mabunda
authors: Eusébio
authors: E
authors: Macete
authors: Pedro
authors: P
authors: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003256:Community Participation / Q000523:psychology; D003634:DDT / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D011057:Politics; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population
chemical_list: D003634:DDT