Knowledge, attitudes, and practices on mosquito control in urban informal settlements of Lagos, southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract The knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on the control of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases were investigated in urban informal settlements of Lagos State, Nigeria, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) period. The survey was conducted between December 2021 and March 2022 using a cross-sectional approach in the informal settlements of Bariga, Makoko, and Ajegunle, and in the formal settlement of Ikeja, all in Lagos State. A total of 400 semistructured questionnaires, 100 per community, were administered to consenting adult participants, and the data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that of the total respondents, 262 (65.5%) claimed to have previously seen mosquito larvae, while 54.2% of the total were aware that larvae usually develop into adult mosquitoes. Only 167 (41.8%) of the respondents owned insecticide-treated bed nets, out of which 126 (75.4%) slept under such bed nets. The rate of bed net ownership and reasons for not using them were significant in relation to the study communities. The majority of respondents (81.2%) reported using aerosol insecticides almost daily, potentially contributing to the challenge of insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors. Of the mosquito-borne diseases endemic in Nigeria, malaria was the most well-known by respondents (62.7%), followed by yellow fever (13.6%), and lymphatic filariasis (1.5%). These findings highlight the need for both public education on mosquito control and government interventions in urban informal settlements.