Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT00169117

A Stitch in Time May Save Lives: Turning Poor Bednets Into Good Ones

Although the use of mosquito nets has increased in Africa, many of the nets used are in a poor state, and not an effective barrier against mosquitoes. This pilot study examines whether subsistence farmers in rural Africa can be encouraged to repair their mosquito nets and use their bednets appropriately. Attitudes and practises on sewing and net use were examined in The Gambia and an intervention developed to promote net repair. Songs and posters were used to emphasise the importance of repairing nets and their correct use, and served as aural and visual reminders to repair nets now rather than postpone this household chore. The intervention was aimed at effectively and cheaply turning a poor net into a good one.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Malaria Infections Mosquito-Borne Diseases Parasitic Diseases Protozoan Infections Vector Borne Diseases

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Medical Research Council Laboratories

Farafenni, The Gambia

About this study

Sleeping under an insecticide-treated net protects the sleeper from mosquito bites and is highly effective means of reducing the risk of malaria. Recent studies in The Gambia and Kenya have shown that untreated bednets in good condition can also protect against malaria (51% protection against parasitaemia, 95% CIs 34-64%). However, most children in rural Gambia sleep under untreated nets in poor condition, often with a few holes, and do not close their nets properly at night. These children remain exposed to mosquito bites and the risk of malaria.

This pilot study examines whether subsistence farmers in rural Africa can be encouraged to repair their mosquito nets and use their bednets appropriately. Attitudes and practises on sewing and net use were examined in rural Gambia and an intervention developed to promote net repair. Songs and posters were used to emphasise the importance of repairing nets and their correct use, and served as aural and visual reminders to repair nets now rather than postpone this household chore. The intervention was aimed at effectively and cheaply turning a poor net into a good one.

The intervention was developed and implemented in two neighbouring villages in The Gambia, with each village composing their own songs. There was no formal control village. An internal comparison group was used in which the nets of responders and non-responders living within the same village were compared.The success of the intervention was assessed by: recording the number of nets repaired and used correctly for malarial prevention before and after the intervention; by counts of mosquitoes entering the nets classified according to number of holes and degree of repair; as well as by canvassing participants' opinions.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Community consent
  • Willingness to participate in study

Exclusion criteria

  • None

Treatment and study plan

Songs/posters aimed at behaviour change

Behavioral

This was a behavioural intervention, using songs and posters composed/designed by community members which aimed at behaviour change to increase repair and maintenance of mosquito nets

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of bednets repaired (pre- vs post intervention)

    Time frame: November 2003

  2. Mean proportion of holes repaired/net (pre- vs post intervention)

    Time frame: November 2003

  3. Reduction in mosquitoes with a good net compared with a poor one (pre-intervention survey).

    Time frame: November 2003

  4. Reduction in mosquitoes with a good net compared with a repaired net (post-intervention survey)

    Time frame: November 2003

Secondary outcomes

  1. Community acceptability

    Time frame: November 2003

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia
  • University of Durham

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2002
Primary completion
2002
Study completion
2002
First posted
Sep 15, 2005
Registry last updated
Jan 12, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.