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Education and Socio‑economic status are key factors influencing use of insecticides and malaria knowledge in rural farmers in Southern Côte d’Ivoire

Kouamé, Ruth M. A., Guglielmo, Federica, Abo, Kouabénan, Ouattara, Allassane F., Chabi, Joseph, Sedda, Luigi, Donnelly, Martin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5218-1497 and Edi, Constant (2022) 'Education and Socio‑economic status are key factors influencing use of insecticides and malaria knowledge in rural farmers in Southern Côte d’Ivoire'. BMC Public Health, Vol 22, e2443.

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Abstract

Background
Insecticides play a key role in rural farming; however, their over- or misuse has been linked with a negative impact on malaria vector control policies. This study was conducted amongst agricultural communities in Southern Côte d’Ivoire to identify which insecticides are used by local farmers and how it relates to the perception of farmers on malaria. Understanding the use of insecticides may help in designing awareness programme on mosquito control and pesticides management.

Methods
A questionnaire was administered to 1399 farming households across ten villages. Farmers were interviewed on their education, farming practices (e.g. crops cultivated, insecticides use), perception of malaria, and the different domestic strategies of mosquito control they use. Based on some pre-defined household assets, the socioeconomic status (SES) of each household was estimated. Statistical associations were calculated between different variables, showing significant risk factors.

Results
The educational level of farmers was significantly associated with their SES (p < 0.0001). Most of the householders (88.82%) identified mosquitoes as the principal cause of malaria, with good knowledge of malaria resulting as positively related to high educational level (OR = 2.04; 95%CI: 1.35, 3.10). The use of indoor chemical compounds was strongly associated to the SES of the households, their education level, their use of ITNs and insecticide in agricultural (p < 0.0001). Indoor application of pyrethroid insecticides was found to be widespread among farmers as well as the use of such insecticide for crops protection.

Conclusion
Our study shows that the education level remains the key factor influencing the use of insecticides by farmers and their awareness of malaria control. We suggest that better communication tailored to education level and including SES, controlled availability and access to chemical products, should be considered when designing campaigns on use of pesticides and vector borne disease control for local communities.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 600 Insect control. Tick control
WA Public Health > WA 20.5 Research (General)
WA Public Health > Preventive Medicine > WA 240 Disinfection. Disinfestation. Pesticides (including diseases caused by)
WA Public Health > WA 30 Socioeconomic factors in public health (General)
WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 750 Malaria
Faculty: Department: Biological Sciences > Vector Biology Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14446-5
Depositing User: Luciene Salas Jennings
Date Deposited: 04 Jan 2023 09:28
Last Modified: 04 Jan 2023 09:29
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/21728

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