Abstract

ALVARADO, Gregorio; GARCIA, Brenda; VILLARROEL, Ana  and  ROSAS-AGUIRRE, Angel. Monitoring of long-lasting insecticidal net ownership and usage in an endemic malaria area of the Venezuelan Amazon. Rev Pan-Amaz Saude [online]. 2011, vol.2, n.1, pp.45-51. ISSN 2176-6215.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S2176-62232011000100005.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the ownership and usage of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLITN) six months after their distribution in Amazonas State, Venezuela. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During the months of June and July 2007, 11,798 LLITN Olyset Net® were distributed among 56 communities in Amazonas State to protect 13,129 people. Six months later, monitoring visits to the homes of a randomly selected sample of 27 communities (48.2% of the total) were carried out, and the necessary data to calculate indicators of ownership and usage of LLITN were collected through semi-structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The ownership rate of LLITN in homes was high (93.7%). A total of 93.7% of the individuals slept under LLITN the night before the survey: 94.3% of the children up to five years old and 89.2% of the pregnant women. Most features of LLITN were highly accepted by the population studied (>90%), except for their height (70.7%) and the large holes in the mesh (70.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This survey showed a high ownership rate and usage of LLITN six months after their distribution.

Keywords : Insecticide-Treated Bednets; Malaria; Communicable Disease Prevention; Vector Control.

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