• 1. Bednet use among children under 5yrs of age living in the household of peer health educators 10 wweks and 6 months after the start of the intervention
  
• 2. Malaria knowledge attitudes and practice among women in the family of peer health educators 10 week and 6 months after the start of the intervention
  
• 3. Malaria knowledge attitudes and practice among school students 10 weeks and 6 months after the start of the intervention
  

12 communities in The Gambia, each including an upper basic and/or a senior secondary school, were pair-matched on urban/rural location and school type, and one community in each pair randomly selected to receive the peer-health education programme immediately or after a delay, to permit evaluation. The intervention programme comprised training of peer health educators, teacher coordinators, and members of drama troupes, in key malaria messages and principles of health education. The peer educators then conducted a rolling programme of presentations to children and youth in their own schools using drama, puppetry, small group and in-class presentations about malaria, as well as community outreach programs targeting out-of-school youth and the general public. In each school a systematic sample of 75 students were interviewed 10 weeks and 6 months after the start of the programme, and in each school catchment area a sample of 80 women were interviewed at the same time, and bednet use by children under 5 yrs in their care was recorded. From the interviews scores were derived for knowledge about malaria treatment and prevention and knowledge scores and net coverage in children compared between intervention and control schools.