TITLE:
Human Habitats and Malaria Vector Control in Benin: Current Situation and Implications for Effective Control
AUTHORS:
Barikissou G. Damien, Armel Djènontin, Badirou Aguemon, Franck Remoué
KEYWORDS:
Housing, Lighting, Bedding, Possessions, Malaria Vector Control, LLINs, IRS
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Infectious Diseases,
Vol.13 No.4,
December
29,
2023
ABSTRACT: Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying
(IRS) are the main indoor malaria vector tools control tools. The study examined housing characteristics and investigated the relationship between the total volume of household possessions, the volume of the sleeping room, and the hanging of LLINs. A total of 831 bedrooms were randomly selected in Benin in 2015. The findings showed that mud walls were predominant in rural areas (more than 75%), while metal roofs were common (77.3% - 97.9%). Battery-powered lighting was prevalent in rural areas in Northern (97%), while open-flame oil lamps were commonly used in rural areas in Southern (86%). The availability of correct bedding was low, ranging from 1% to 10% in all households. 20% of the bedrooms had at least 50% of their volume occupied by household possessions in urban areas. In rural areas, bedrooms without LLINs had a lower mean rate ratio of the volume occupied by possessions per the total volume of the room compared to bedrooms with at least one LLIN installed (p