Impact of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on self-reported malaria prevalence among women of reproductive age in Ghana: implication for malaria control and elimination
Date
2022
Authors
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Publisher
Malaria Journal
Abstract
Background: The Global Fund alone contributed 56% of all international fnancing for malaria and has invested more
than US$13.5 billion in malaria treatment, prevention, and control programmes by June 2021. These investments
include interventions such as mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, and preventive treatment for children and
pregnant women. However, there is paucity of studies for assessment of such investments to a reduction in malaria
prevalence. This study was aimed at quantifying the impact of household access to insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and
the indoor residual spraying (IRS) on self-reported malaria prevalence among women of reproductive age in Ghana.
Methods: The study analysed the 2016 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) data. The MIS is a nationwide survey
that included women aged 15–49 years. Poisson regression model with inverse probability to treatment weighting
was used to determine average treatment efect estimate of the two malaria interventions on self-reported malaria
prevalence among women of reproductive age in Ghana.
Results: A total sample of 4861 women interviewed from the 2016 Ghana MIS was used for analysis. The preva lence of self-reported malaria in 2016 was 34.4% (95% CI [32.4%, 36.4%]). Approximately 80.0% of women lived in
households with access to ITNs [Percentage (Pr)=79.9%, (95% CI [78.0%, 81.7%])], 12.4% (95% CI [7.5%, 19.8%]) of the
households had access to IRS and 11.4% (95% CI [7.0%, 18.0%]) of the households had access to both ITNs and IRS.
Household access to only ITN contributed to 7.1 percentage point (pt) reduction in the self-reported malaria among
women (95% CI [− 12.0%, − 2.1%], p=0.005) whilst IRS at the households contributed to 6.8pt reduction in malaria
prevalence (95% CI [− 12.0%, − 2.1%], p=0.005). Households with access to both ITNs and IRS contributed to a
27.1pt reduction in self-reported malaria prevalence among women (95% CI [− 12.0%, − 2.1%], p=0.005).
Conclusion: Access to both ITNs and application of IRS at the household level contributed to a signifcant reduction
in self-reported malaria prevalence among women of reproductive age in Ghana. This fnding confrms the need for
integration of malaria control interventions to facilitate attainment of malaria elimination in Ghana.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Global Fund, insecticide-treated nets, women, malaria control