Abstract:
Background: Malaria had been a major problem for Sub Saharan Africa and Ethiopia for long.
Recognizing the problem the Role back malaria initiative is aiming to decrease the disease
burden and working since 1998. Due to mass killing effect of ITN on vector it prevents the
community and the benefit may also extend to non user. Considering this measures, ITNs are
being distributed widely. But many field issues pertaining to their use are not answered in the
Ethiopian situation. The objective of the study is to determine factors affecting the utilization of
ITN in under five children and pregnant women in Shashogo Woreda, where the nets were
distributed for free.
Methods and materials: A cross sectional study was conducted by using both qualitative and
quantitative approaches. The source populations were all households in Urban and Rural areas of
Shashogo Woreda. Study subjects were pregnant women and under-five children within selected
households. The total sample sizes were 806, which was selected by multistage sampling
techinique. The data collectors interviewed the head of household or their spouse in the absence
of head using structured questionnaire and filled the check list by inspecting the bed net. This is
triangulated by focus group discussion among dwellers of the Woreda and in depth interview
among important stake holders.
Results and discussion: The Coverage of ITN was 98.4%. Proportions of ITN use for pregnant
woman and under- fives were 86.6%, 45.0%, respectively. From proportion of 21.5% household
that had pregnant woman and under-five children, 54.3% had net, 78.7% used the available net,
47.3% slept under ITN the previous night. The proportions of proper ITN utilization for pregnant
woman and under-five the previous night were 56.8% and 44.7% respectively. This is supported
by qualitative study they used their nets for other porposes, due to the reason of inadequate
traing, and housing condition and though LLTN serves long time, it was not ready to use.
Access to health information were associated with increase the odds of ITN utilization the
previous night for both pregnant woman and under-five. But as age of respondents increased, the
odds of utilization of ITN decreased for pregnant woman.
Concolusion and recommendation: The coverage of ITN and proportion of proper ITN
utilization in the study area was higher compared to the results of studies conducted previously
in different parts of the country. But there were a wide gap between possession and proper
utilization for high risk group. Awareness of ITN, belief ITN not to cause any problem, access of
health information and age of respondent were independent predictors. FMOH should develop
appropriate IEC/BCC intervention and promotion activities to narrow the gap between ITN
coverage and utilization of pregnant woman and under-five.
