Low Coverage, Moderate Knowledge, And Limited Trust: An Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceptions Towards Indoor Residual Spraying in Masala, Ndola, Zambia

ABSTRACT Background Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) is a proven vector control intervention for malaria prevention, yet community acceptance remains suboptimal in many settings. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions towards IRS among residents of Masala Township in Ndola, Copperbelt Province, Zambia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 282 systematically selected adult residents of Masala Township using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews (response rate: 89.5%). Knowledge scores (range 0-6) were categorized as poor, moderate, or good. Attitudes were measured using Likert scale items (range 1-5) and categorized as positive, neutral, or negative. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chisquare tests, and binary logistic regression (p