Abstract

Objective: To analyze the factors associated with the individual use of insect repellent d by women of childbearing age Iiving in area endemic for arboviruses in Fortaleza, Brazil Methods: This is a cohort study carried out between 2018 and 2019 with women aged between 15 and 39 years in Fortaleza, state of Cear & aacute;, Brazil. A total of 1,173 women users of one of the four selected primary health care units participated in the study. The outcome was divided into continued use, discontinued use, and nonuse of insect repellent. Crude and adjusted mutinominal logistic regression analysis was carried out guided by a hierarchical model, with presentation of the respective odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The independent variables include: sofoeconomic and demographic data, environmental and sanitary characteristics, knowledge of the insect repellent, and behavioral and pregnancy-related aspects. Results: Only 28% of the participants reported using insect repellent during the two waves of the cohort. Womer with higher education (OR-2.55: 95%CI 1.44-4.51) who are employed (OR-1.51: 95%CI 1. 12-2.03), who received guidance from healthcare professionals (OR-1.74: 95%CI 1.28-2.36) and the media (QR-1.43, 95% 1.01-2.02); who intensified precautions against mosquitoes during the epidemic (OR=3.64, 95%CI 2.29-5.78), and who were pregnant between 2016 and 2019 (OR=2.80, 95%CI 1.83-4.30) had increased odds for continued use of insect repellent Conclusions The use of insect repellent among women of childbearing age was associated with a higher level of education, employment. guidance on Insect repellent provided by healthcare professionals and the media, behag oral changes to protect against mosquitoes during the Zika virus epidemic, and pregnancy when occurring as of the beginning of the epidemic period.