Indoor Residual Spraying Coverage and Acceptability Rates to Control Malaria and the Householders’ Reasons of Acceptance or Rejection of Spraying, in South-East of Iran

Abstract

Background: Indoor residual spraying (IRS), as one of the malaria control techniques, requires high spraying coverage and acceptance rate by householders, to be effective. Objectives:The main aim of the study was to assess the spraying acceptability and coverage rates in relation to acceptance and rejection reasons of the IRS program. Also, the householders' perception about IRS benefits and satisfaction with the malaria prevention and knowledge of transmission pathways were estimated. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed in endemic districts of Sistan-and Baluchistan province (south-east of Iran), in two years of 2013 and 2014. Data were collected by a validated questionnaire, through interviewing 834 household heads that were randomly selected from 40 villages, of four malarial sub-districts. To analyze the data, chi-squire test was performed, by using SPSS software (Version 18). The significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05. Results: A total of 834 households' heads were interviewed, with the mean age of 39.5 ± 15.4 years, 73.3% males and 26.7% females. The main sources of information, concerning IRS, were health care workers (51.4%). The IRS coverage and acceptance rates were 96.5% and 94%, respectively. Of the total number of participants, 95.3% of householders associated the disease transmission with mosquito bites and reported the use of insecticidal bed nets (90%) and IRS (74.1%), as important ways of malaria prevention. Conclusions:The study showed that IRS coverage and acceptance rates were relatively high, which is essential in reaching malaria elimination. The information on malaria transmission and knowledge prevention measures showed that householders were, to a certain extent, familiar with the malaria control activities conducted by the health care service.

Household knowledge and practices concerning malaria and indoor residual spraying in an endemic area earmarked for malaria elimination in Iran

“…This study showed a high level of knowledge about malaria transmission and symptoms in the study population. Similar findings have also been reported from other malaria-endemic areas in the southeast of Iran [ 10 , 14 , 19 ]. Also, high awareness of people about malaria transmission and symptoms has been reported from other malaria-endemic countries including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland, Ethiopia, Ghana and Tanzania [ 17 , 20 – 24 ].…”

“…National malaria control programmes in the 91 endemic countries reported that 106 million people worldwide were protected by IRS in 2015 [ 1 ]. Several factors which influence the effectiveness of IRS interventions include spraying coverage, type of insecticide, type and situation of houses, community awareness and cooperation, household acceptance, and informing the households about the programme benefits and spraying time during the spraying campaign [ 10 ]. Spraying coverage is also dependent on the household’s perception of the effectiveness of IRS programme against mosquitoes and other nuisance insects, as well as the number and intensity of unwanted side effects [ 8 ].…”

Increasing participation in a vector control campaign: a cluster randomised controlled evaluation of behavioural economic interventions in Peru

“… 62 63 The most commonly cited barriers to participation included fear of theft during control activities, 64 odours and allergic reactions to insecticide 65 and logistical challenges. 66 67 While community engagement and mobilisation activities were associated with higher rates of participation, 68–70 these strategies have not been evaluated in a randomised trial.…”

Acceptance and determinants of indoor residual spraying in two blocks of Tripura: using LQAS technique

“…4 Again in a cross sectional study conducted by Sakeni et al in South East Iran revealed that IRS coverage and acceptance were 96.5% and 94%, respectively which is higher than the present study. 5 The wide variation in the coverage and acceptance was due to refusal by head of the family due to bad smell, white spot, and still biting of mosquito which points towards the lack of insecticidal effect or inappropriate spraying and the unavailability of IRS workers which is probably due to the lack of programmatic management. Similar reasons of refusal were also reported by Ronghangpi et al and Mazigo et al in their study in Assam and Rural North East Tanzania.…”

“…1 NVBDCP has suggested LQAS surveys to be carried out in high-risk district to track IRS coverage at health institution level. [2][3][4][5][6] The North-Eastern state Tripura being endemic for malaria, control measures like IRS are of utmost importance. But the acceptance has been limited over the years and there is least information on the factors responsible for it.…”