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Table 2 Summary of perceptions and misconceptions of long lasting insecticidal bed nets

From: A qualitative study on the acceptability and preference of three types of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets in Solomon Islands: implications for malaria elimination

Province

Quotes

Malaita

'...when we sleep inside the net and it looks dirty we will wash it...I think that's what makes malaria not stopping...I don't know.' (Gwuanaru woman referring to LLINs in general)

 

'What I heard from some people is that ... some people are afraid to sleep under it because when they sleep under it and breathe in the medicine they cough too much.' (Gwuanaru woman referring to LLINs in general)

 

'...some types of mosquitoes are small ones and they can go in through the net...' (Gwuanaru youth referring to Olyset nets)

 

'...I'm really worried that the medicine on the net may wash out.' (Busurata man referring to LLINs in general)

 

'I don't wash mine because I fear that the insecticide will be washed out...so sometimes it stays unwashed for the whole year.' (Gwuanaru man referring to LLINs in general)

 

'When the baby wakes up from sleep and cries it usually rolls on the bed and if we don't hurry to get the baby he/she can become trapped in the net and therefore become breathless. It is a serious situation that can be dangerous...' (Busurata man referring to bed nets in general)

 

'...they say children should not hold the mosquito nets because if you hold them then eat, you are going to die. If you hold it, you must wash your hands.' (Gwuanaru woman referring to LLINs in general)

 

'But it is the children, when they sleep under the net they can get sick because it has big holes' (Busurata woman referring to Olyset bed nets)

Temotu

'When you take out the mosquito net for use (Olyset net), keep the plastic bag, fold it well and keep it safe, because if its longer than or up to a few months, to return its medicine, you have to fold it well and put it back in the plastic bag.' (Otomongi woman)

 

'...you wash it and hang it to dry, then you put it in the plastic again because the insecticide is still in the plastic...' (Noipe youth referring to Olyset nets)

 

'...you wash it, but keep the plastic in a safe place...and after you wash it, you hang it out in a shade place...when you see that the water has dripped off from the net, you put it back inside the plastic...from morning till evening, then you hang it up and you can sleep under it after that.' (Noipe youth referring to Olyset nets)

 

'For me, though it's dirty I will still keep it until the malaria team comes to retreated it then that is when I will wash it again.' (this Otomongi man reports to have Olyset & PermaNet bed nets in his household)

 

'Especially when the mosquito is not sucking blood yet and it is still small, it can go through the holes, then when its full of blood it cannot get out, therefore, in the morning you will see a lot in the net...' (Otomongi woman referring to Olyset nets)

 

'You can get sick with that net (Olyset).' (Noipe youth)

 

'...I think you can tell them to send us some good nets that are soft and the holes are small so that mosquitoes cannot go in...because this one here (Olyset), even though it is treated, in the morning when you wake, you will see some mosquitoes flying inside the mosquito net and filled with blood...ah, what kind of net is this...' (Noipe youth)