THE LEVELS OF AWARENESS AND UTILISATION OF INSECTICIDE-TREATED NETS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN MUTENDERE COMPOUND

Abstract

BACKGROUND The level of awareness and utilisations of insecticide-treated nets (ITNS) among pregnant women and their household members is still low despite the ministry of health and government policy through donors of free ITNS for vulnerable group and subsidized nets for other people. This calls for understanding the knowledge, on why the awareness and utilisations of ITNS among pregnant is low. This study aimed to assess levels of awareness and utilisations of ITNS among pregnant women in Mutendere compound Lusaka Zambia. METHODS A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted aimed at determining the awareness and utilisation of insecticide treated nets among pregnant women from Mutendere compound, Lusaka Zambia. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 30 pregnant women and those with a history of pregnancy and stay in Mutendere compound of which 26 were retrieved giving a response rate of 86.6% Data was analysed using Stata 2014 version which generated the summarized statistics. RESULTS Results showed that the majority (71.03%) of the pregnant women were between 18-29 years of age. With another majority 50% were married and 93% of the respondents were aware of the insecticide –treated nets. All participants had heard or had some knowledge of awareness and utilisation of insecticide treated nets. 92.3% were using mosquito nets when sleeping at night. It was found that most pregnant women about 60.9% get the mosquito nets from the clinics but they occasionally use them during pregnancy. CONCLUSION Most pregnant women had awareness on insecticide treats nets (ITNs). The utilisation of ITNs was relatively low, with still a small bracket of pregnant women still not using ITNs. Majority respondents married, with the majority having gotten the ITNs from the clinics and majority of the pregnant women were between 18-29 years. These needs continued advocacy for ITNs use among pregnant women to reduce high rates of maternal anaemia ,fetal loss, premature delivery ,intrauterine growth retardation, and delivery of low birth –weight infants(<2500g or<5.5 pounds),a risk factor for death.