Long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net ownership, utilization and associated factors among school-age children in Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay districts, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract Background Malaria is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among school-age children (SAC) in sub-Saharan Africa. SAC account for more than 60% of the reservoir of malaria transmission, but they are given less emphasis in prioritizing malaria prevention interventions. This study was aimed at assessing the ownership of long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLINs), its utilization and factors associated with ownership of LLINs by households and LLINs utilization among SAC in malaria-prone areas of Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay districts in Southern Ethiopia, October to December 2019. Methods This study is part of a baseline assessment in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. The data was collected through interview and observation, following a structured questionnaire, of 2,261 SAC households. Univariable and multivariable multilevel logistic regressions were used to assess the association between LLINs ownership and utilization and potential predictor variables. Odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to determine the strength and statistical significance of association.Results The ownership of at least one LLIN by households of SAC was about 19.3% (95% CI: 17.7-21.0%) but only 10.3% % (95% CI: 7.7-13.7%) of these households had adequate access of bed nets to the household members. Ownership of bed net was marginally affected by living in semi-urban area (adjusted OR= 2.6; 95% CI: 1.0-6.9) and occupational status of the household head being a civil servant (adjusted OR= 2.7; 95% CI: 0.9-7.9). About 7.8% (95% CI: 6.7-10.0%) of all SAC participated in the study and 40.4% (95% CI: 57.4-66.7%) of children in households owning at least one LLIN passed the previous night under LLIN. LLIN utilization by SAC conditional to presence of at least one net in the household was significantly correlated with education level of mother above grade 6 (adjusted OR= 3.4; 95% CI: 1.3-9.3) and the household size to bed net ratio less than or equal to 2 (adjusted OR= 20.7; 95% CI: 4.7-132.5). Conclusion Ownership of bed net was lower than universal coverage of at least one bed net for two individuals. It is important to monitor replacement needs and educate mothers with low education level with their SAC on the benefit of consistent utilization of bed nets.

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Long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net ownership, utilization and associated factors among school-age children in Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay districts, Southern Ethiopia

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-020-03437-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zerihun Zerdo ◽

Hilde Bastiaens ◽

Sibyl Anthierens ◽

Fekadu Massebo ◽

Matewos Masne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Controlled Trial ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Household Head ◽

Education Level ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

School Age Children ◽

Bed Nets ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Bed Net ◽

School Age

Abstract Background Malaria is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among school-age children (SAC) in sub-Saharan Africa. SAC account for more than 60% of the reservoir of malaria transmission, but they are given less emphasis in prioritizing malaria prevention interventions. This study was aimed at assessing the ownership of long-lasting insecticide treated bed nets (LLINs), its utilization and factors associated with ownership of LLINs by households and LLINs utilization among SAC in malaria-prone areas of Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay districts in Southern Ethiopia, October to December 2019. Methods This study is part of a baseline assessment in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. The data was collected through interview and observation, following a structured questionnaire, of 2261 SAC households. Univariable and multivariable multilevel logistic regressions were used to assess the association between LLINs ownership and utilization and potential predictor variables. Odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to determine the strength and statistical significance of association. Results The ownership of at least one LLIN by households of SAC was about 19.3% (95% CI 17.7–21.0%) but only 10.3% % (95% CI 7.7–13.7%) of these households had adequate access of bed nets to the household members. Ownership of bed net was marginally affected by living in semi-urban area (adjusted OR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.0–6.9) and occupational status of the household head being a civil servant (adjusted OR = 2.7; 95% CI 0.9–7.9). About 7.8% (95% CI 6.7–10.0%) of all SAC participated in the study and 40.4% (95% CI 57.4–66.7%) of children in households owning at least one LLIN passed the previous night under LLIN. LLIN utilization by SAC conditional to presence of at least one net in the household was significantly correlated with education level of mother above grade 6 (adjusted OR = 3.4; 95% CI 1.3–9.3) and the household size to bed net ratio less than or equal to 2 (adjusted OR = 20.7; 95% CI 4.7–132.5). Conclusion Ownership of bed net was lower than universal coverage of at least one bed net for two individuals. It is important to monitor replacement needs and educate mothers with low education level with their SAC on the benefit of consistent utilization of bed nets.

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Long Lasting Insecticide-treated Bed Net Ownership, Utilization and Associated Factors Among School-age Children in Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay Districts, Southern Ethiopia

10.21203/rs.3.rs-46180/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zerihun Zerdo ◽

Hilde Bastiaens ◽

Sibyl Anthierens ◽

Fekadu Massebo ◽

Matios Masine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Controlled Trial ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Malaria Prevention ◽

Education Level ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

School Age Children ◽

Bed Nets ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Bed Net ◽

Previous Night

Abstract Background Malaria is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among school-aged children (SAC) in Sub-Saharan Africa. SAC account for more than 60% of the reservoir of malaria transmission, but they were given less emphasis on prioritizing malaria prevention interventions. This study was aimed at assessing the ownership of bed nets, its utilization and factors associated with ownership of bed nets by households and bed net utilization among SAC in malaria prone areas of Dara Mallo and Uba Debretsehay districts in Southern Ethiopia, October to December 2019. Methods This study is part of baseline assessment in a cluster randomized controlled trial. The data were collected through interview and observation following structured questionnaire from 2261 SAC households. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess the association between bed net ownership or utilization and potential predictor variables. Odds Ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were used to determine the strength and statistical significance of association. Results The ownership of at least one bed net by households of SAC was about 19.3% (95% CI: 17.7%-21.0%). It was affected by living in altitude ranged from 1100 to 1250 meters above sea level with Adjusted OR (AOR) of 0.5 (95%CI: 0.3–0.9) and presence of child age less than 5 years (AOR = 2.1; 95%CI: 1.2–3.7). About 7.8% (95% CI: 6.7%-10.0%) of all SAC participated in the study and 40.4% (95% CI: 57.4% − 66.7%) of children in households owning at bed net passed the previous night under bed net. Bed net utilization by SAC conditional to its presence was lower among children age > 9 years (AOR = 0.2; 95%CI: 0.03–0.8); higher in children with mothers who had an education level above grade six (AOR = 5.2; 95%CI: 1.8–17.0); and when the household size to bed net ratio was ≤ 2 (AOR = 37.8; 95%CI: 4.1–1106). Conclusion Ownership of bed net was lower than universal coverage of at least one bed net for two individuals. It is important to monitor replacement needs and educate mothers with low education level and their SAC on the benefit of consistent utilization of bed nets.

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The extent of protective footwear use among school-age rural children at high risk for podoconiosis and socio-economic correlates: A household cross-sectional survey in Southern Ethiopia

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

10.1371/journal.pntd.0009791 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. e0009791

Author(s):

Abebayehu Tora ◽

Getnet Tadele ◽

Gail Davey ◽

Colleen M. McBride

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽

Household Head ◽

School Age Children ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Rural Children ◽

School Age ◽

Tropical Diseases ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Family Socioeconomic Status

Background Podoconiosis is preventable if genetically susceptible people wear shoes starting from an early age and do so consistently. However, lack of routine use of footwear is one of the major risk factors for podoconiosis and several other foot-related Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). This study is aimed at describing the extent of footwear use among school-age rural children susceptible to the disease and investigating associated socioeconomic factors. Methods Cross sectional surveys were conducted in 330 randomly selected households in Wolaita zone, southern Ethiopia. A household head and a child aged between 9 and 15 years were recruited from each household. Household heads provided socioeconomic data while children were asked about their footwear ownership and footwear use. Results Nearly half (49.5%) of the children reported either walking barefoot or wearing under-protective footwear in a range of situations. Girls, older children, those in higher school grades, who belonged to families with higher socio-economic status, and those who owned a larger number of pairs of footwear reported more protective use of footwear. The linear regression model constituting the adequacy of footwear ownership and interaction term (i.e. family socioeconomic status by adequacy of footwear ownership) variables explained 30% of variance in the protective use of footwear (AR2 = 0.307). The interaction effect of adequate ownership of footwear and family socioeconomic status consistently predicted the protective use of footwear among children (β = -0.175, p<0.01) though the main effect of adequacy of footwear ownership was stronger (β = 0.507, p<0.001). Conclusion Increased adoption of protective footwear is needed to effectively prevent school-age children living in endemic areas from developing podoconiosis and other neglected tropical diseases. Interventions aimed to improve the protective footwear use should consider approaches that also increase the socio-economic capacity of families in podoconiosis endemic communities.

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Prevalence of Scabies and Its Associated Factors Among School-Age Children in Arba Minch Zuria District, Southern Ethiopia, 2018.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-88911/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eyayou Girma ◽

Chuchu Churko ◽

Amsalu Alagaw ◽

Desta Haftu ◽

Abayneh Tunje ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Associated Factors ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

School Age Children ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

P Value ◽

School Age ◽

Odds Ratios ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Skin Contact ◽

History Of

Abstract Background: Scabies, a common human skin disease with a prevalence range of 0.2% to 71.4% in the world. It can have a considerable impact on general health leading to illness and death not only through the direct effect of its infestation and as a result of secondary bacterial infection. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of scabies and its associated factors among school-age children in Arba Minch Zuria district, Gamo zone, Southern Ethiopia.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 825 school-age children from February 20 to March 30, 2018. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select study populations. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with scabies. Findings were presented using 95% CI of Crude Odds Ratios (COR) and Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR). To declare statistical significance, a p-value of less than 0.05 was used. Result: A total of 825 children participated in the study with a response rate of 97.6%. The overall prevalence of scabies was 16.4% [95% CI: 13.9%, 18.9%]. Overcrowding index, family history of itching in the past two weeks, wealth index, knowledge of scabies, climatic zone (living in the highland area), frequency of washing body, frequency of washing clothes, fingernails cutting practice, history of skin contact with scabies patient, washing hair more than once weekly, and sharing of clothes were significantly associated scabies disease.Conclusion: In conclusion, the prevalence of scabies in Arba Minch lies at 16.4% in the global scabies range from 0.2% to 71.4%. The prevalence was highest in highlands followed by midland and then lowland. This represents a significant scabies burden which we recommend warrants health service intervention.

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Determinants of dietary adequacy among school age children in Guraghe Zone, Southern Ethiopia

International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS) ◽

10.11591/ijphs.v8i2.18365 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 211

Author(s):

Abdu Oumer Abdu ◽

Berhanu Abebaw Mekonnen

Keyword(s):

Family Size ◽

Dietary Diversity ◽

Extended Family ◽

Household Head ◽

Age Groups ◽

School Age Children ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

School Age ◽

Food Groups ◽

Dietary Adequacy

Dietary diversity (DD) is a validated proxy indicator of micronutrient adequacy among different age groups including infants, children and women. This study assessed level of dietary adequacy and its associated factors among school age children in Guraghe Zone, Ethiopia. Survey was conducted among 769 children aged 6 to 12 years of with their care givers using multistage sampling method. Data were collected by using structured questionnaire containing the ten food groups for minimum dietary diversity for women and other parts. Adequate dietary diversity was categorized those children who consume at least five food groups. Bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression with odds ratios (95% CI) was computed. Overall 769 children were included in the study, with a mean age of 8 years. The mean dietary diversity score was 4.9 (±1.42). About 444 (58.3%) had an inadequate dietary diversity. Those children from extended family size had 1.3 times to have inadequate DD level (AOR=1.3). Children from female headed households, did not attend formal education had 1.3 and 1.4 times higher odds of having an inadequate DD level (AOR=1.3 and 1.4). Similarly, children living with uneducated caregiver had six fold more likely to have an adequate DD level (AOR=6.7). The dietary diversity of children in the study area was below average. Household head, caregiver’s educational status, occupation of the household head, father/female headed household and family size were found to be associated with DD score. There should be awareness creation through existing Health extension platform and back yard vegetation should be improved.

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A minimal 3D model of mosquito flight behaviour around the human baited bed net

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-020-03546-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jeff Jones ◽

Gregory P D Murray ◽

Philip J McCall

Keyword(s):

Spatial Scales ◽

Video Tracking ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Bed Nets ◽

State Transitions ◽

Bed Net ◽

Flight Behaviour ◽

Individual Agent ◽

Host Seeking ◽

Mosquito Behaviour

Abstract Background Advances in digitized video-tracking and behavioural analysis have enabled accurate recording and quantification of mosquito flight and host-seeking behaviours, facilitating development of individual (agent) based models at much finer spatial scales than previously possible. Methods Quantified behavioural parameters were used to create a novel virtual testing model, capable of accurately simulating indoor flight behaviour by a virtual population of host-seeking mosquitoes as they interact with and respond to simulated stimuli from a human-occupied bed net. The model is described, including base mosquito behaviour, state transitions, environmental representation and host stimulus representation. Results In the absence of a bed net and human host bait, flight distribution of the model population was relatively uniform throughout the arena. Introducing an unbaited untreated bed net induced a change in distribution with an increase in landing events on the net surface, predominantly on the sides of the net. Adding the presence of a simulated human bait dramatically impacted flight distribution patterns, exploratory foraging and, the number and distribution of landing positions on the net, which were determined largely by the orientation of the human within. The model replicates experimental results with free-flying living mosquitoes at human-occupied bed nets, where contact occurs predominantly on the top surface of the net. This accuracy is important as it quantifies exposure to the lethal insecticide residues that may be unique to the net roof (or theoretically any other surface). Number of net contacts and height of contacts decreased with increasing attractant dispersal noise. Conclusions Results generated by the model are an accurate representation of actual mosquito behaviour recorded at and around a human-occupied bed net in untreated and insecticide-treated nets. This fine-grained model is highly flexible and has significant potential for in silico screening of novel bed net designs, potentially reducing time and cost and accelerating the deployment of new and more effective tools for protecting against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

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