ArticleMalaria journal2024
Perception of caregivers on ITNs utilisation and its effectiveness among children under 5 years of age in Chikwawa district, Malawi.
Article in Malaria journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Strategic resource allocation for malaria elimination in endemic settings: a systematic review of cost-effectiveness evidence.Frontiers in public health · 2025Pooled it
- Couple concordance related to ITN use in Malawi.Malaria journal · 2026Article
- Acceptability of insecticide treated nets in an urban setting in a malarious area: Application of theoretical framework of acceptability.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Investigating the impact of human behavioural factors on the effectiveness of malaria interventions in malaria-endemic regions: A systematic review.Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases · 2026Review
- Effectiveness of family health education in malaria elimination programmes: a scoping review.Malaria journal · 2025Article
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5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundIn 2020, Malawi had 6.9 million malaria cases and 2551 deaths, mainly in children under five years of age. The 2017-2022 Malawi malaria control strategic plan promoted the consistent use of insecticide-treated nets through free distribution and mass campaigns. Despite widespread availability of the control strategy plan, Chikwawa District continues to suffer from high malaria burden especially among under five children, due to inconsistent insecticide-treated (ITN) net usage. For this reason, this study aimed at exploring caregivers' perceptions on insecticide-treated net utilisation and also find out about its effectiveness among those who consistently use them.
methodsThis study used a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. The data used for quantitative analysis was drawn from the population of under-five children's caregivers within the catchment area of Chikwawa district hospital. The sample size was 96 participants, as determined by Cochran's formula. The data collection lasted from December 2023 to April 2024 and included four in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions to address the objectives qualitatively.
resultsThe study revealed that 91.67% of households used ITNs, with 87.50% using them daily. The significant factors influencing ITN utilisation included the number of nets, user satisfaction, perceived impact, user habits, acquisition method, and usage frequency (all p values < 0.001). Under-five malaria cases were also significant (p = 0.025). The odds of the perceived net impact influencing utilisation were 4.956 times greater. Non-usage was due to heat, quality concerns, limited access, breathing difficulties, health conditions such as asthma, and misconceptions about net treatment.
conclusionThe study revealed a strong belief in insecticide-treated net efficacy. However, some challenges such as access, durability, and misinformation of insecticide-treated nets were discovered. These challenges affected utilisation of insecticide-treated nets in agreement with some literature reviewed. The insights found in this study will help policymakers in addressing health interventions for the reduction of malaria cases in Malawi.
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