Community coverage with insecticide-treated mosquito nets and observed associations with all-cause child mortality and malaria parasite infections

Randomized trials and mathematical modeling suggest that insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) provide community-level protection to both those using ITNs and those without individual access. Using nationally representative household survey datasets from 17 African countries, we examined whether community ITN coverage is associated with malaria infections in children < 5 years old and all-cause child mortality (ACCM) among children < 5 years old in households with one or more ITNs versus without any type of mosquito net (treated or untreated). Increasing ITN coverage (> 50%) was protective against malaria infections and ACCM for children in households with an ITN, although this protection was not conferred to children in households without ITNs in these data. Children in households with ITNs were protected against malaria infections and ACCM with ITN coverage < 30%, but this protection was not significant with ITN coverage < 30%. Results suggest that ITNs are more effective with higher ITN coverage.