Vol. 13 No. 51-61 (2022): Impact of knowledge and usage of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets on malaria prevalence among Pregnant Women attending antenatal care, Dutse General Hospital, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Malaria in pregnancy is a major public health concern in Nigeria and is characterized with deleterious effects on both the mother and foetus. The current study elucidated the influence of knowledge and usage of long-lasting insecticidal net (LLINs) on malaria incidence among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Dutse General Hospital. A total of 150 blood samples was aseptically collected and subjected to malaria test using Giesma-microscopic procedure. Their demographic characteristic as well as their knowledge of mosquito net usage were assessed using well-structured questionnaire. Out of the 150 pregnant women enrolled in the study, 98 (65.33 %) were positive for malaria. The age group 26-35 years recorded the highest prevalence (69.33 %). The prevalence also varied with respect to the other demographic characteristics of the study participants. This study found that majority of respondents used Long-lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) as a measure to prevent malaria during pregnancy. The knowledge and use of LLIN as a preventive measure against malaria was relatively high among the participants in this study, though still below national target. There is therefore a need to strengthen the policy of malaria prevention education as an integral component with distribution of free LLIN in health care setting to enhance its utilization