The objective of this study is, therefore, to evaluate the impact of indoor residual spraying on the incidence of malaria in highland fringe area of Ethiopia using retrospective-confirmed malaria morbidity and spray data from the Debrezeit Malaria Control Center.
The facility registers thus provided a basis for morbidity data collection (malaria suspected outpatient visits and confirmed malaria cases).
Individual level data on malaria morbidity; such as, diagnosis results (negative, species of Plasmodium for positives); dates of diagnoses; available demographic data (residence, age, sex) were registered on the computer spreadsheet.
In addition to the lack of data from some epidemiological categories, it was generally difficult to obtain age-specific data on malaria morbidity and mortality, which are usually not published in sufficient detail to be included in a thorough statistical analysis.
It is common for the impact of control and elimination programs to be monitored using data on malaria morbidity and mortality and slide positive rates, particularly in children [6].
Disadvantages of cross-sectional surveys include limited ability to capture data on malaria morbidity and monitor trends over shorter periods or on a fine spatial scale.
In the absence of a nationwide system that routinely records malaria morbidity, trends are estimated by collecting data from a few selected public health facilities or sentinel sites located in, or adjacent to, urban areas such as the hospitals in Libreville, Port-Gentil, Lambaréné, and Franceville [ 9].
Data collection and analysis Malaria morbidity and mortality reports from health centers and hospitals were the primary sources of data for the study.
Data published over the last decade nevertheless indicate a 70% reduction in malaria morbidity in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and similar patterns have been reported in Kenya [ 15- 17].
