Utilization of insecticide treated bednet and associated factors among pregnant Women in Basso Liben District East Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia, A community-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Background Introduction: Malaria is endemic across the globe with higher burden in tropical and subtropical countries, including Ethiopia. Malaria parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquito bites from infected female anopheles mosquitoes. Studies on the utilization of ITN among pregnant women in Basso Liben endemic area with respective of time and different predictor’s variables. It implies that using ITN is very helpful way in the prevention of malaria transmission in highly endemic area. Objective: The aim of this research was to assess insecticide treatedbednet utilization and associated factors among pregnant women in Basso Liben district East Gojjam, Northwestern Ethiopia: 2022. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was employed among 522 pregnant women in selected household in Basso Liben district using multi stage sampling technique. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire by trained data collectors. The collected data were entered into Epi Data version 4.6 and then exported to STATA version 14 for analysis. The association was ascertained using an adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) at a p-value of < 0.05. Results: The prevalence of ITN utilization was 55.2% (50.9%, 59.4%).Having formal education (AOR=1.18, 95%CI: 0.72, 0.93), counseled about ITN (AOR=2.47, 95%CI: 1.70, 3.59) and Having good knowledge (AOR=0.68, 95%CI: 0.478, 0.99) were significantly associated with ITN utilization. Conclusion: the prevalence of ITNs utilization was good in the study area.. Having formal education, being counseled about ITN and having good knowledge about were factors significantly associated with ITNs utilization. Policy makers should design strategies to empower women to use ITN especially specific and targeted policies could designed for those women who had no formal education. . Keywords: Utilization, factors, insecticide-treated bed net, malaria, pregnant women