Effect of malaria preventive education on the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets among pregnant females in a Teaching Hospital in Osun state, south-west Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Malaria in pregnancy is a major public health problem in Nigeria. Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) have been advocated as an effective tool against malaria transmission. However, success of this intervention largely depends on the knowledge and practices regarding malaria and its prevention. Unfortunately, few studies have been done on effect of malaria preventive education on use of LLIN in pregnancy. Objective: To assess the knowledge of malaria and determine the effect of malaria preventive education on the use of LLINs among pregnant females in a Teaching Hospital in Osun state. Method: It was a one group pre-test post-test quasi - experimental hospital based study involving pregnant females attending Ante-Natal Clinic (ANC) of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC). A total of 200 respondents were recruited for this study by 2-stage sampling technique. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire to elicit information on socio-demographic characteristics, use of LLIN in pregnancy, knowledge of malaria and its preventive measures. The data collected was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics comprised frequency, percentage, means and standard deviations. Bivariate analysis comprised Chi-square test on knowledge of malaria before and after intervention while correlation test assessed strength of relationship between knowledge of malaria preventive education and use of LLINs before and after intervention. Multivariate analysis determined the predictors of LLINs use. Analytical statistics of cross tabulation was conducted considering a p < 0.05 to be statistically significant. Results: There was an increase in the scores of knowledge on malaria transmission after the intervention and this was statistically significant (χ 2 = 8.862, p < 0.01). Similarly, the scores of knowledge on malaria prevention increased after the intervention and this was statistically significant (χ 2 = 10.023, p < 0.01). Respondents' age, marital status and gravidity were predictors of LLINs use. Biserial correlation showed a statistically positive relationship between knowledge of malaria preventive education and use of LLINs after intervention ( r = 0.036, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The use of malaria preventive education was found to be effective in increasing the use of LLIN in this study. These findings highlight a need for educational intervention in implementation of LLINs. There is therefore a need to strengthen the policy of malaria prevention education as an integral component with distribution of free LLIN in health care setting to enhance its utilization.

Utilization of long-lasting insecticide-treated net and its associated factors among pregnant women in Dawo district, Southwest Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2023

“…Pregnant women who recognize that malaria poses a risk to their fetuses are 3.25 times more likely to use LLINs than their counterparts. This theory is confirmed by a study conducted in Pakistan, which found that women utilize LLINs more if their prior pregnancy resulted in a neonatal death (26).…”

“…The likelihood of LLIN use was 4.4 times higher among pregnant women who had LLIN use information than among pregnant women who did not have information. This idea is also evidenced by the study conducted on the effect of malaria preventive education on the use of LLINs among pregnant women in Nigeria ( 27 ).…”

Impact of malaria prophylaxis on Plasmodium Parasitemia among pregnant women receiving care at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri

“…Malaria morbidity and death have been demonstrated to be reduced when ITNs are used alone [12]. The Roll Back Malaria (RBM) alliance, on the other hand, advocates using intermittent preventative treatment (IPT) also in areas where malaria transmission is steady to reduce the disease's burden among pregnant women [13,14]. In many malaria-endemic regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, the execution of the IPTp policy has been plagued by periodic shortages of the program medicine, denying pregnant women on prenatal consultations access to the treatment [15,16].…”