Knowledge, Attitude and Practice about Malaria in Maji District, Bench Maji Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

Background: Poor or lack of insecticide treated net (ITN) use as malaria preventive behaviour is one of the obstacles for the success of malaria prevention and control program. Therefore, Current information on insecticide treated net use as malaria preventive behaviour and its predictors are vital for malaria prevention and control program. Objective: To identify determinants of insecticide treated net use as malaria preventive behaviour among households in Maji district, Bench Maji Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. Methodology: Community based cross-sectional quantitative study supplemented by qualitative study was conducted from March ¬15 to 30/2015 in Maji district, Bench Maji Zone of South Nation and Nationality People Regional State (SNNPR). A total of 770 selected household heads were involved in the study. Data was collected through face to face interview technique by trained data collectors. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical package. Multiple logistic regressions analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of insecticide treated net use as malaria preventive behaviour. Odds ratio, with 95% confidence level and P<0.05 were used to determine statistically significant association. Result: A total of 770 (91%) participants were actually involved in the study. Of the total study participants, 76.5% were males and 23.5% were females. Forty point eight percent, 40.8% of study participants were ITN users in night before data collection. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that ITN use had association with ever had malaria: OR=5.94 (0.545-0.64), Perceived susceptibility to malaria: OR=3.47 (1.92-6.26), perceived benefit of using ITN: OR=1.06 (1.02-1.106) and knowledge on malaria: OR 3.25(1.6-6.2). Conclusion and recommendation: This study had revealed that ITN use was low in Maji district. Existing efforts should be revised specifically for its effect on individual perception of ITN use. The research calls for the need to strength the health education and behaviour change activities.