Acceptability and Practices of Mosquito Bed Net Use Among Hilly Tribes of North-east India

AbstractTwenty six villages, having 1904 households, in five Primary Health Centres of four districts covering seven tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland states of North-east India were surveyed and information on demography, sleeping habits, pattern and practices related to mosquito bed net use were elicited. Use of bed nets and washing frequency was more pronounced in ethnic tribes of Nagaland. Notes of Arunachal Pradesh were the lowest (65.6 % households) and Angamis of Nagaland were the highest (100 % households) users of bed nets amongst the surveyed communities. Women and children below 15 years of age were more regular users of bed nets in all the communities. Majority, ranging from 93.4 to 96.3%, in Nagaland perceived insecticide treated bed nets better than indoor residual spray. Since mosquito bed nets are, by and large, culturally acceptable in the northeastern region of India and one of the regional malaria mosquito vectors, Anopheles dirusis exophilic, the introduction of ITBNs in tribal areas of North-east India may prove as an useful strategy for malaria control.