title: Domestic Larval Control Practices and Malaria Prevalence among Under-Five Children in Burkina Faso.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Larval source management has contributed to malaria decline over the past years. However, little is known about the impact of larval control practices undertaken at the household level on malaria transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in Kaya health district after the 2010 mass distribution of insecticide treated-nets and the initiation of malaria awareness campaigns in Burkina Faso. The aim was to (i) estimate the level of domestic larval control practices (cleaning of the house and its surroundings, eradication of larval sources, and elimination of hollow objects that might collect water); (ii) identify key determinants; and (iii) explore the structural relationships between these practices, participation in awareness-raising activities and mothers' knowledge/attitudes/practices, and malaria prevalence among under-five children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 2004 households were surveyed and 1,705 under-five children were examined. Half of the mothers undertook at least one action to control larval proliferation. Mothers who had gone to school had better knowledge about malaria and were more likely to undertake domestic larval control practices. Living in highly exposed rural areas significantly decreased the odds of undertaking larval control actions. Mothers' participation in malaria information sessions increased the adoption of vector control actions and bednet use. Malaria prevalence was statistically lower among children in households where mothers had undertaken at least one vector control action or used bed-nets. There was a 0.16 standard deviation decrease in malaria prevalence for every standard deviation increase in vector control practices. The effect of bednet use on malaria prevalence was of the same magnitude.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cleaning the house and its surroundings, eradicating breeding sites, and eliminating hollow objects that might collect water play a substantial role in preventing malaria among under-five. There is a need for national malaria control programs to include or reinforce training activities for community health workers aimed at promoting domestic larval control practices.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; CHU de Québec Research Center, Saint-Sacrement Hospital, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Souleymane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diabaté
authors.affiliation: University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Druetz
authors.affiliation: Institut Africain de Santé Publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Tiéba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Millogo
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS) du CNRST, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Antarou
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ly
authors.affiliation: University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fregonese
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS) du CNRST, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Seni
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kouanda
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; CHU de Québec Research Center, Saint-Sacrement Hospital, Québec, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Slim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002050:Burkina Faso; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006796:Household Work / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007814:Larva; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D065129:Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012424:Rural Population