Summits - SBCC and C4D
Gathering in person to advance informed and engaged societies
Summits - SBCC and C4D
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 11 years ago
Last updated 2 years ago
Read so far

The effect of household heads training on long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets utilization: A cluster randomized trial in Ethiopia

0 comments

Deribew, A., Birhanu, Z., Sena, L., Dejene, T., Reda, A.A., Sudhakar, M., Alemseged, F., Tessema, F., Zeynudin, A., Biadgilign, S., & Deribe, K. (2012). The effect of household heads training on long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets utilization: A cluster randomized trial in Ethiopia. Malaria Journal, (11)8, 99.  doi:10.1186/1475-2875-11-99.

Abstract

Background

Long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLITN) have demonstrated significant impact in reducing malaria-related childhood morbidity and mortality. However, utilization of LLITN by under-five children is not satisfactory in many sub-Saharan African countries due to behavioural barriers. Previous studies had focused on the coverage and ownership of LLITN. The effect of skill-based training for household heads on LLITN utilization had not yet been investigated. A cluster-randomized trial on the effect of training of household heads on the use of LLITN was done in Ethiopia to fill this knowledge gap.

Methods

The study included 22 (11 intervention and 11 control) villages in southwest Ethiopia. The intervention consisted of tailored training of household heads about the proper use of LLITN and community network system. All households in each group received free LLITN. Data were collected at baseline, six and 12 months of the follow up periods. Utilization of LLITN in the control and intervention villages was compared at baseline and follow up periods.

Results

A total of 21,673; 14,735 and 13,758 individuals were included at baseline, sixth and twelfth months of the project period. At the baseline survey, 47.9% of individuals in the intervention villages and 68.4% in the control villages reported that they had utilized LLITN the night before the survey. At the six month, 81.0% of individuals in the intervention villages and 79.3% in the control villages had utilized LLITN. The utilization of LLITN in all age groups in the intervention villages was increased by 17.7 percentage point (95% CI 9.7-25.6) at sixth month and by 31.0 percentage point (95% CI 16.9-45.1) at the twelfth month. Among under-five children, the LLITN utilization increased by 31.6 percentage point (95% CI 17.3-45.8) at the sixth month and 38.4 percentage point (95% CI 12.1-64.7) at the twelfth months of the project period.

Conclusion

Household level skill-based training has demonstrated a marked positive effect in the utilization of LLITN. The effect of the intervention steadily increased overtime. Therefore, distribution of LLITN should be accompanied by a skill-based training of household heads to improve its utilization