Factors associated with prevention of malaria and other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes at household level in Wakiso District, Uganda

Abstract

Malaria, and other diseases transmitted by mosquito vectors, can be reduced by appropriate measures at household level. These include: installing screening in windows and ventilators; removing stagnant water around homes; eliminating vessels that can hold water for mosquito breeding; and clearing unnecessary vegetation around homes. The study was aimed at quantifying the risk factors associated with occurrence of malaria and other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes at household level. Observational checklists were administered to 1,208 households in eight study villages in Wakiso district, Uganda. They sought to assess the presence of: screening in windows and ventilators, stagnant water, potential vessels for mosquito breeding, and vegetation around homes. The study established that 91% of the households lacked proper screening in windows and ventilators, 41% had water pools around the houses, 75% had vessels for potential mosquito breeding, and 71% had overgrown vegetation within five metres of their houses.These results suggest more effort should be invested by environmental health practitioners and others involved in health promotion, to increase awareness of the need to implement basic hygiene measures in order to reduce the occurrence of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases.