ITN Protection Compliance in Young Children in Burkina Faso
Author Information
Author(s): Claudia Frey, Corneille Traoré, Manuela De Allegri, Bocar Kouyaté, Olaf Müller
Primary Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg
Hypothesis
What factors influence compliance with insecticide-treated net (ITN) protection among young children in rural Burkina Faso?
Conclusion
Compliance with ITN protection in young children is sufficient during the rainy season but low during the hot and dry season.
Supporting Evidence
- ITNs were perceived as very important for protection against mosquitoes and malaria, especially during the rainy season.
- Self-reported compliance was 66% during the dry season and 98% during the rainy season.
- Direct observation confirmed ITN use was lower than self-reported, with 34% compliance in the dry season and 79% in the rainy season.
Takeaway
This study found that kids in Burkina Faso mostly use bed nets to avoid mosquito bites, especially when it rains, but they struggle to use them when it's hot and dry.
Methodology
Descriptive study with two cross-sectional surveys conducted in nine villages, involving direct observations and interviews with mothers.
Potential Biases
Self-reported compliance may be overestimated compared to direct observations.
Limitations
The study only observed compliance at one specific point in time, which may not represent ongoing behavior.
Participant Demographics
Approximately half of the study children were male, with a mean age of 23.1 months, and included various ethnic groups.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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