Insecticide treated net utilization and associated factors among households having under-five children and pregnant women in Fogera District, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Malaria is life threatening disease particularly for under-five children and pregnant women unless there is no proper use of bed nets. Evidences are limited on the use of insecticide treated net among under-five children and pregnant women. 

Objective:The aim of this study was to assess insecticide treated net utilization and associated factors among households having under-five children and pregnant women in Fogera district, Northwest Ethiopia.

Method: Community based cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 01 to November 30, 2016. A total of 712 households were selected using two-stage random sampling technique. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20 for further analysis. Both descriptive and analytic statistics were computed. Variables having association with the outcome variable was reported using odds ratio with 95% CI. Model fitness was checked by Hosmer and Lemeshew test.

Result:  Insecticide treated bed net utilization among under-five children and pregnant women was 63.3%. Households having <3 sleeping spaces (AOR = 7.45; 95% CI; 3.97-14.1), nets available per house hold (≥2 nets) (AOR = 5.2; 95% CI 2.4-11.2), family size of <5 (AOR = 6; 95%CI; 2.8-12.8), being urban resident (AOR = 17.4; 95% CI; 6.3-48.1), having poor knowledge of malaria and bed net use (AOR = 0.09; ( 95%  CI; 0.04,0.2)and having good perception of net use (AOR=4.2; ( 95%  CI; 1.8, 10.3) were found to be significant predictors  of  bed net utilization.   

Conclusions and recommendations:  In this study, insecticide treated net utilization was slightly lower than the standards set by federal ministry of health and world health organization recommendation. Bed net utilization among pregnant women and under-five children was significantly associated with number of sleeping spaces per households, number of nets available, family size, residence and perception on net use. Utilization of bet net has to be strengthened with special emphasis on households having large family size, more sleeping spaces, rural residence, poor knowledge on malaria and net use, inadequate perception about net use.