Malaria Indicator Survey in Iran
Author Information
Author(s): Mohammadi Mahdi, Ansari-Moghaddam Alireza, Raiesi Ahmad, Rakhshani Fatemeh, Nikpour Fatemeh, Haghdost Aliakbar, Ranjbar Mansoor, Taghizadeh-Asl Rahim, Sakeni Mohammad, Safari Reza, Saffari Mehdi
Primary Institution: Zahedan University of Medical Sciences
Hypothesis
What is the current status of malaria indicators at the household level in high-risk areas of Iran?
Conclusion
Low access to treated nets and a lack of understanding of their role in malaria prevention are major barriers to their use.
Supporting Evidence
- 20% of households owned at least one mosquito net.
- Only 5.9% of children under five used a mosquito net the night before the survey.
- Less than 10% of households reported indoor residual spraying in the previous year.
- 63.8% recognized fever as a sign of malaria.
- 56.4% reported that mosquito bites cause malaria.
- Only 34.9% mentioned that using mosquito nets could prevent malaria.
Takeaway
In Iran, many families don't have mosquito nets to protect against malaria, and even fewer use them, especially children and pregnant women.
Methodology
Data were collected from 5,456 households in a cluster randomized cross-sectional survey using a validated questionnaire.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may lead to overestimation of net usage.
Limitations
Self-reported use of mosquito nets may introduce bias, and the analysis of usage was only for the night prior to the survey.
Participant Demographics
Households surveyed included a mix of urban and rural populations from three provinces in Iran.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 17.36 - 22.24
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website