Determinants of urban mosquito population density and community responses: A cross-sectional study

Background Vector-borne diseases transmitted by various arthropods account for approximately 17% of the global burden of infectious diseases. These arthropods, especially mosquitoes, are particularly rampant in Mangalore because of the humid coastal climate and scaling urbanization. Objectives To identify the key determinants of mosquito presence in urban settings and assess community-based prevention strategies and control measures. Also to evaluate community perceptions of mosquito-borne diseases and quantify their burden from self-reported cases. Methods The study involved households in selected wards of the urban field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire covering sociodemographic details, mosquito proliferation, breeding determinants, behavioral measures, perception of mosquito control, and self-reported cases of mosquito-borne diseases. The data were analyzed using Jamovi version 2.6.26. Results The study included 95 household participants, primarily female (70.5%) and literate individuals (94.8%). The 42.1% reported an increase in mosquito breeding sites over the past year and 69.4% recognized the rainy season, where mosquitoes were more prevalent. Seventy five percentage responded to water stagnation, which contributed to vector breeding. The survey showed, 91.5% of households used chemical measures as mosquito preventive measures. Ninety two percentage of respondents are aware of mosquito-borne diseases and 80% perceived regular environmental cleaning is a crucial method to prevent disease outbreaks. Thirty percentage of participants had suffered any mosquito-borne disease past year. Water stagnation (p = 0.033) and construction activity (p = 0.014) were significantly associated with a higher number of mosquitoes in the study setting. Conclusion This study reveals a gap in community knowledge and perception of mosquito-borne diseases, even though people are aware of basic precautions, such as using mosquito sprays and screens. However, proper intervention by local authority is needed to combat breeding factors, such as water stagnation and dense vegetation.