Bed net ownership, use and perceptions among women seeking antenatal care in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Opportunities for improved maternal and child health
2008

Bed Net Use Among Pregnant Women in Kinshasa

Sample size: 351 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Pettifor Audrey, Taylor Eboni, Nku David, Duvall Sandra, Tabala Martine, Meshnick Steve, Behets Frieda

Primary Institution: Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA

Hypothesis

What factors influence bed net ownership and use among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Kinshasa?

Conclusion

Distribution of insecticide-treated nets in antenatal clinics is needed and feasible, with high potential for use among pregnant women.

Supporting Evidence

  • 33% of women already owned a bed net at baseline.
  • 25% reported sleeping under a bed net the night before the interview.
  • Cost was a barrier for 48% of women who did not own a net.
  • Women with secondary education were 3.4 times more likely to own a net.

Takeaway

Many pregnant women in Kinshasa don't own bed nets, but those who do are more likely to use them, especially if they have more education.

Methodology

Pregnant women attending their first antenatal care visit were given free insecticide-treated bed nets and followed up to assess usage.

Potential Biases

Self-reported data may introduce recall bias.

Limitations

The study sample may not be representative of all women attending ANC in Kinshasa and was limited to a single clinic.

Participant Demographics

Most women were less than 35 years old, married, and had completed primary school.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Confidence Interval

95% CI 1.6–7.3 for net ownership; 95% CI 1.3–6.0 for net use

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-8-331

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