Socio-environmental determinants of mosquito density and dengue risk in a high-density urban neighbourhood of Klang, Malaysia

Azwani Alias, Karthigesu Perianan, Siti Norliyana Harun, Nurezdiani Said

Abstract


Dengue fever remains a persistent public health challenge in rapidly urbanising areas of Malaysia, particularly in Klang, Selangor, where neighbourhood-scale environmental conditions and sociodemographic vulnerabilities interact to influence disease transmission. This study examines the socio-environmental determinants of mosquito density and dengue risk in selected endemic residential areas of Klang through an integrated neighbourhood-scale approach combining household surveys, environmental assessments, ovitrap surveillance, and secondary dengue surveillance records. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 106 respondents across five endemic residential localities between January and March 2025. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including Pearson’s chi-square tests, were performed using SPSS to examine associations between socio-environmental variables and mosquito density. The findings revealed consistently higher ovitrap positivity rates in outdoor environments across all residential zones, indicating the dominant role of neighbourhood-level environmental exposure in sustaining mosquito breeding. Significant associations were identified between mosquito density and community knowledge of dengue prevention (χ² = 4.905, p = 0.027), the presence of community dengue programmes (χ² = 7.880, p = 0.005), and neighbourhood breeding-site inspections (χ² = 10.367, p = 0.001). In contrast, conventional institutional control measures such as fogging, environmental surveys, and health inspections showed no significant association with reduced mosquito density (p > 0.05). High population density and socioeconomic vulnerability further intensified dengue risk within dense terrace-housing environments. This study demonstrates that dengue transmission in Klang is driven more strongly by neighbourhood-scale environmental conditions and collective community action than by isolated household practices or episodic institutional interventions. The study contributes a socio-environmental neighbourhood framework that highlights the importance of sustained community participation, targeted outdoor environmental management, and spatially informed vector-control strategies for improving dengue prevention in rapidly urbanising settings.

 

Keywords: Dengue fever, environmental risk, mosquito density, sociodemographic factors, urban health


Keywords


Dengue fever, environmental risk, mosquito density, sociodemographic factors, urban health

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References


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