Background: Forest malaria is one of the challenges faced by the Malaria Control Program in Vietnam. Objectives: (1). To evaluate the malaria prevalence among forest goers, (2). To study the efficacy of insecticide-treated hammock net (ITHNs) in malaria prevention for forest goers. Subject and method: The descriptive epidemiological intervention study on the effect of ITHNs in forest malaria control has been carried out in Ninh Thuan in 2005 \ufffd?2006. Results: Malaria prevalence among forest goers was very high: Clinical malaria: 15.5%, enlarged spleen: 7.0%, confirmed cases: 13.3% and asymptomactic cases: 74%. Age, sex, ethnic, low educated levels, low income, less use of mosquito-nets and poor house condition were considered as risk factors in malaria infection, especially for people who spent much time in the forest. ITHNs were effective in prevention of malaria infection, the malaria morbidity was decreased after 2 years of application (reduced from 31 % to 14% for prevalence, and from 274/1000 population to 161/1000 population for incidence), and the morbidity rate was lower than that in the group of people who did not use ITHNs. Conclusion: For the entomological survey, it is found that Anopheles density reduced in the group of people prevented by ITHNs. The residual of insecticide on the hammock net was decreased after 2 years utilization.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Malaria

Background: The vulnerability to contract malaria was researched among the Raglai ethnic minority population living in the mountainous areas of Ninh Thuan province, South-central Viet Nam, one of the areas with highest incidence rates in the country. Objective: To investigate the bed net use, risk perception of contracting malaria in Raglai ethnic minority. Subject and Method: The study used qualitative and quantitative method and was carried out in Ninh Thuan from 8/2005 to 8/2006. Result: Raglai exposure to malaria was related to farmers' forest activity and forest sleep which were directly related to the combination of sleeping and living in a government supported home in newly established villages along the road with a second home or reduced plot hut near fields in the forest to meet work requirements during the labor intensive malaria transmission and rainy season. In this context, access to health care, bed net use, risk perception of contracting malaria and health seeking behavior were researched. Conclusion: The results of the study do not only show the vulnerability of an impoverished ethnic minority population but as well the urgent need to better understand ethnic minorities' social context and culture to improve malaria control strategies.
Awareness of malaria ; ethnic minority ; Ninh Thuan province ; bed net use