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 key environmental and household determinants of mosquito presence in urban Mangalore, to assess household-level prevention practices, and to evaluate community perceptions and self-reported disease burden towards mosquito-borne diseases. Methods: The study involved households in selected wards of the urban field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine, a teaching and service field area under the Mangalore City Corporation, 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: Among 95 respondents (70.5% female and 94.8% literate), 42.1% reported an increase in mosquito breeding sites over the past year, 69.4% recognized the rainy season as the peak period of mosquito activity. Water stagnation [74.7% (95% CI: 64.8-83.1)] and ongoing construction activity [32.4% (95% CI: 21.8-44.1)] emerged as significant environmental determinants of higher mosquito density which was not statistically significant. A large majority of households (91.6%) reported using chemical measures for mosquito prevention, while 92.6% of participants were aware of mosquito-borne diseases. Despite this, nearly one-third (29.4%) of respondents had experienced a mosquito-borne illness in the preceding year, with 71.4% dengue infection. The use of mosquito repellents was paradoxically associated with a higher prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases (OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.4-9.6; p = 0.024). Conclusion: Although awareness and preventive measure uptake were high, gaps remain in consistent environmental control and municipal interventions. Strengthening local authority action on water stagnation and construction-site management is essential for sustainable vector control.