Date of Award

January 2020

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Sunil Parikh

Second Advisor

Brian Foy

Abstract

Malaria transmission occurs both indoors and outdoors, and housing and peri-domestic characteristics have been associated with higher risks of malaria. Previous research in Burkina Faso has demonstrated that vector density within households varies greatly, though contributing factors are less clear. In the context of a cluster-randomized trial in a rural region of southwest Burkina Faso, the associations between household structural and behavioral factors with vector density will be presented. General household surveys were completed detailing the external housing characteristics of wall and roof materials, number of individual sleeping rooms, number of individuals in the household, and ITN use. All enrolled households in 14 clusters were included [n=556 households with a median of 39.7 households per cluster, a median of 308 individuals per cluster (n~4314 total individuals), and 7.8 individuals per household]. Following the general survey, three clusters were randomly chosen from the intervention arm and 3 from the control arm for cross-sectional sampling, with four households chosen on two perpendicular transects (8 total) in each cluster based on them being either centrally or peripherally-located (n=48 total households). A more detailed survey was completed detailing the characteristics of each individual sleeping rooms as well as the household. There was a median 2.3 (range 1-3) sleeping rooms per household. In order to explore associations of indoor vector density with housing and inhabitant characteristics, biweekly mosquito vacuum aspirations were conducted in the early mornings during the rainy season in each of the individual rooms of the 48 cross-sectional households. Results showed that the primary materials for walls was earth (61.3%) or cement/plaster (34.4%) while roofs were thatch (88.3%), straw (6.1%) or earth (4.9%). There was a median of 4.9 (range 2-6) ITNs per household (1.6 individuals per net per household). A more detailed analysis will be presented to highlight potential household structural and behavioral factors that determine vector density within a rural setting in southwest Burkina Faso.

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This is an Open Access Thesis.

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