Epidemiology: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

T his study was meant to isolate factors that correlate with ownership and usage of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) as a prophylactic to malaria in Asamankese, Ghana and explore the policy implications of the findings for ITN programs. A cross-sectional design was used. A structured close-ended interviewer-administered questionnaire was designed. Snowball technique was used to sample views from 500 mothers and care-givers of children less than five years from 23 communities of Asamankese, Ghana. A chi- square test was used to ascertain the significance of certain variables; a logistic regression model was used to isolate factors that had possible influence on ITN usage at 95% confidence interval. In determining one?s motivation for usage of ITN, ?sleeping area allowing for use of ITN? was the most important (Wald Chi-square=45.184), followed by ?expected monthly income? (Wald Chi-square=7.114), then second cycle level of education (Wald Chi-square=6.512) and finally, ?number of children under five years? (Wald Chi-square=5.029). There was an association between ITN use and monthly income of respondents (p<0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship (p<0.05) between environmental factors and ITN usage. Finally, there was a relationship (p<0.05) between one?s knowledge and use of ITN. Behavior change education should be intensified in the municipality so that more people could accept and adopt lifestyles that will protect them from the deadly diseases. Proper housing structures that promote the use of ITNs should also be encouraged.

Biography

Anthony Joe Turkson has completed a PhD program in Statistics from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. His specialty is Survival Analysis. He is a Senior Lecturer and Dean for Academic Quality Assurance at Takoradi Polytechnic. He has six publications in reputed journals and a peer reviewer of some international journals.