OBJECTIVES:

1. To empirically analyse the importance of socioeconomic outcomes on Bed net use among pregnant women and children under five as malaria preventive behaviour.
2. To analyse the extent to which bed net usage is responsive to malaria prevalence.
3. To examine the existence of social interaction in malaria preventive behaviour.

METHODS: Probit Regression Analysis using the 2018 Demographic Heallth Survey for Nigeria (NDHS)

RESULTS: Analysis shows a percentage increase in malaria prevalence increased the probability of sleeping under bednet for children under five and pregnant women at 0.2% and 0.32%, respectively. A strong level of social interaction in bednet use exists for children under five at the cluster level than for pregnant women. Male children had a probability of 0.008% more than female children in a household to sleep under a bednet as male children have a higher preference based on the culture in the society.

CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic status and place of residence influence the use of bednets within the community. Analysis suggests that people living in the rural area used bednets more as the wealthier and more educated households were more likely to use an alternative means to prevent malaria instead of bednets.