Adoption of Insecticide Treated Nets By Rural Dwellers in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the adoption of insecticide treated nets (ITN) among rural dwellers in Rivers State. The study was carried out in Ahoada-West and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas. Structured interview schedule was used to elicit information from 200 respondents using the simple random sampling techniques. Data collected were presented using descriptive statistics. Findings from study established that majority (61%) of the respondents is females, between the ages of 30- 40 years (60%) and are singles (60%). Also, majority (62%) of the respondents had a household size of 1-4, where 66% of them are two years old and they live in three bedroom bungalow. All (100%) the respondents from the five communities in Opobo/Nkoro LGA were aware of the use of ITN and an average of 83% adopted it, while all (100%) of the respondents in Ahoada-East LGA were aware of ITN but an average of 41% adopted it. Poverty/hunger (x=2.90), inadequate information /education and communication (x=3.30), inadequate community Health extension workers (x=3.10), distance between Health centres and villages/Hamlets (x=3.20) and heat associated with sleeping with ITN (x=3.10) were considered as constraints to the adoption of ITN.