Objectives: To assess insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) use, other malaria prevention measures, knowledge of malaria and diffusion of information about ITNs by the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) in Mali.
Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.
Setting: Four villages in Mopti region, Mali that had participated in the Mopti Regional Malaria Control Program (MRMCP) ITN Education Programme five years prior.
Participants: Three hundred thirty nine randomly-selected households. Within each household, mothers of children one to nine years of age were interviewed regarding knowledge of malaria and prevention practices.
Results: Overall, 11% of households used ITNs, with 97% of these in two villages. Ninety eight percent of households used bednets, 22% used insecticide sprays and 39% used mosquito coils. Significant predictors of ITNs use were: head of household literacy, larger family size, Bambara ethnicity, hearing about the NMCP and hearing about ITNs from health agents. Reasons why ITNs were not used included not knowing anything about ITNs, cost and not having net impregnation services readily available in the village. Levels of knowledge concerning malaria disease, transmission and prevention varied amongst the four villages. ITN households had significantly higher levels of knowledge about malaria and its prevention.
Conclusion: Five years after the implementation of the MRMCP, ITNs use was low and diffusion of malaria prevention information was unequal among villages. Future efforts in improving the programme must recognise these differences in knowledge and ITNs utilisation and make village-specific changes that are acceptable for each village.