The Determinants of Ownership and Usage of Insecticide Treated Nets in the Upper East Region and its Impacts in the Control of Malaria

Abstract

In Ghana malaria continues to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for over 44.5% of all out-patient attendance in 2005 ranging between 54.4% in the Northern region to 36.1% in the Volta region (GHS, 2005). The aim of the new National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) in Ghana was to reduce mortality and morbidity due to malaria by 25% by 2008. The use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) was the main intervention promoted under the Roll Back Malaria Initiative. The data used include the Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS) IV and data from the Ghana Health Service (Upper East Region). A probit, d-probit and multi-nomial regressions were used to investigate the determinants of ITN ownership, period of usage of ITN and the contribution of ITNs in the control of malaria. Results from the probit regression reveal that households who reside in rural communities are more likely to own a net compared to those residing in urban communities. Households with a high number of members and those with women as heads are less likely to own a net. Household heads with no education or with only primary education are less likely to own a net but those with secondary education are more likely to own a net. The results also show that households who reside in rural communities are more likely to use a net the whole year and not only the rainy season. Unfortunately, those households with a high number of members who form the majority group in terms of household size are less likely to use a net the whole year irrespective of the season.

Keywords: insecticide treated nets, determinants of ITN ownership, period of usage, contribution

JEL Classification: I19