Gayathri Jayasinghe

Bed net use and associated factors in a rice farming community in Central Kenya

BackgroundUse of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) continues to offer potential strategy for malaria prevention in endemic areas. However their effectiveness, sustainability and massive scale up remain a factor of socio-economic and cultural variables of the local community which are indispensable during design and implementation stages.MethodsAn ethnographic household survey was conducted in four study villages which were purposefully selected to represent socio-economic and geographical diversity. In total, 400 households were randomly selected from the four study villages. Quantitative and qualitative information of the respondents were collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions.ResultsMalaria was reported the most frequently occurring disease in the area (93%) and its aetiology was attributed to other non-biomedical causes like stagnant water (16%), and long rains (13%). Factors which significantly caused variation in bed net use were occupant relationship to household head (χ2 = 105.705; df 14; P = 0.000), Age (χ2 = 74.483; df 14; P = 0.000), village (χ2 = 150.325; df 6; P = 0.000), occupation (χ2 = 7.955; df 3; P = 0.047), gender (χ2 = 4.254; df 1; P = 0.039) and education levels of the household head or spouse (χ2 = 33.622; df 6; P = 0.000). The same variables determined access and conditions of bed nets at household level. Protection against mosquito bite (95%) was the main reason cited for using bed nets in most households while protection against malaria came second (54%). Colour, shape and affordability were some of the key potential factors which determined choice, use and acceptance of bed nets in the study area.ConclusionThe study highlights potential social and economic variables important for effective and sustainable implementation of bed nets-related programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Is there an association between bacteriological drinking water quality and childhood diarrhoea in developing countries

To investigate the association between bacteriological drinking water quality and incidence of diarrhoea, we conducted a 1‐year prospective study in the southern Punjab, Pakistan. Diarrhoea episodes, drinking water sources and drinking water quality were monitored weekly among children younger than 5 years in 200 households. We found no association between the incidence of childhood diarrhoea and the number of Escherichia coli in the drinking water sources (the public domain). A possible trend was seen relating the number of E. coli in the household storage containers (the domestic domain) and diarrhoea incidence, but this did not reach statistical significance. Faecal contamination levels in household water containers were generally high even when the source water was of good quality. Under conditions such as this, it is questionable whether public water treatment will have a significant impact on the incidence of endemic childhood diarrhoea.

Malaria vector control practices in an irrigated rice agro-ecosystem in central Kenya and implications for malaria control

BackgroundMalaria transmission in most agricultural ecosystems is complex and hence the need for developing a holistic malaria control strategy with adequate consideration of socio-economic factors driving transmission at community level. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in an irrigated ecosystem with the aim of investigating vector control practices applied and factors affecting their application both at household and community level.MethodsFour villages representing the socio-economic, demographic and geographical diversity within the study area were purposefully selected. A total of 400 households were randomly sampled from the four study villages. Both semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data.ResultsThe results showed that malaria was perceived to be a major public health problem in the area and the role of the vector Anopheles mosquitoes in malaria transmission was generally recognized. More than 80% of respondents were aware of the major breeding sites of the vector. Reported personal protection methods applied to prevent mosquito bites included; use of treated bed nets (57%), untreated bed nets (35%), insecticide coils (21%), traditional methods such as burning of cow dung (8%), insecticide sprays (6%), and use of skin repellents (2%). However, 39% of respondents could not apply some of the known vector control methods due to unaffordability (50.5%), side effects (19.9%), perceived lack of effectiveness (16%), and lack of time to apply (2.6%). Lack of time was the main reason (56.3%) reported for non-application of environmental management practices, such as draining of stagnant water (77%) and clearing of vegetations along water canals (67%).ConclusionThe study provides relevant information necessary for the management, prevention and control of malaria in irrigated agro-ecosystems, where vectors of malaria are abundant and disease transmission is stable.