Abstract
People’s knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs (KAPB) pertaining to malaria are generally well described. However, little is known about population knowledge and awareness of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. The aim of this study was to investigate KAPB related to insecticide resistance in malaria vectors due to the use of insecticides in agriculture and the prevention against mosquitoes. In mid-2017, we carried out a cross-sectional survey in Elibou, South Côte d’Ivoire, employing a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were obtained with a questionnaire addressed to household heads. Interviews were conducted with key opinion leaders, including village chiefs, traditional healers, heads of health centres and pesticide sellers. Focus group discussions were conducted with youth and elders. A total of 203 individuals participated in the questionnaire survey (132 males, 65%). We found that people had good knowledge about malaria and mosquitoes transmitting the disease, while they felt that preventing measures were ineffective. Pesticides were intensively used by farmers, mainly during the rainy season. Among the pesticides used, insecticides and herbicides were most commonly used. While there was poor knowledge about resistance, the interviewees stated that insecticides were not killing the mosquitoes anymore. The main reason given was that insecticides were diluted by the manufacturers as a marketing strategy to sell larger quantities. More than a third of the farmers used agricultural pesticides for domestic purposes to kill weeds or mosquitoes. We observed a misuse of pesticides among farmers, explained by the lack of specific training. In the community, long-lasting insecticidal nets were the most common preventive measure against malaria, followed by mosquito coils and insecticide sprays. The interviewees felt that the most effective way of dealing with insecticide resistance was to combine at least two preventive measures. In conclusion, population attitudes and practices related to insecticides used in agriculture and the prevention against mosquitoes could lead to resistance in malaria vectors, while people’s knowledge about insecticide resistance was limited. There is a need to raise awareness in communities about the presence of resistance in malaria vectors and to involve them in resistance management.
Highlights
Malaria remains a major public health problem with an estimated 228 million clinical cases and 405,000 deaths in 2018 [1]
In the past 20 years, considerable progress has been made in malaria control by using long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) [2,3,4]
Research has been conducted previously on farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs (KAPB) on insecticides used in agriculture [10,12], there is a paucity of studies on people’s knowledge about resistance to currently utilized insecticides and the causes leading to resistance, including how people cope with the growing resistance
Summary
Malaria remains a major public health problem with an estimated 228 million clinical cases and 405,000 deaths in 2018 [1]. In the past 20 years, considerable progress has been made in malaria control by using long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) [2,3,4]. This progress is threatened by the development and spread of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Due to practices linked to intensification of agriculture, resistance to insecticides has emerged and spread [10]. Several studies suggest that intensive use of insecticides in agriculture selects for resistant genes in malaria vectors [11,12]. Research has been conducted previously on farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs (KAPB) on insecticides used in agriculture [10,12], there is a paucity of studies on people’s knowledge about resistance to currently utilized insecticides and the causes leading to resistance, including how people cope with the growing resistance
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.