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Chisha Y, Feleke T, Zeleke EA, Aschalew Z, Abate ZG, Haile Y, Dalbo M, Endriyas M. Predictors of delayed health seeking for febrile children: multi-level analysis of cross-sectional study data from southern Ethiopia. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1417638. [PMID: 39324161 PMCID: PMC11423542 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1417638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Febrile illnesses are commonly reported as a primary reason for seeking healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa. Timely diagnosis and getting prompt treatment within 24 h of fever onset is crucial to avert the risk of developing severe complications and death. Understanding factors contributing to delayed health seeking is important for public health interventions. Hence, this study aimed to assess individual- and contextual-level factors associated with the delay in seeking prompt treatment for children with fever. Method A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2022 to June 2023 in Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia. Three districts were chosen, and then, from each district, six clusters or kebeles were chosen by simple random sampling. A total of 820 caregivers were randomly selected. A two-level mixed-effects logistic regression model was employed to identify factors associated with the delay in seeking prompt treatment. The associations were measured by an adjusted odds ratio (AOR), and statistical significance was declared at a 5% level of significance. Result The prevalence of the delay in seeking prompt care was 47.8%. Factors contributing to the delay were caregivers who were aged 30 years and above [AOR 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10-0.52], caregivers who followed the Protestant religion (AOR 3.67, 95% CI: 2.08-6.48), caregivers unable to read and write (AOR 5.32, 95% CI: 6.80-11.70), merchant caregivers (AOR 6.63, 95% CI: 2.75-15.97), caregivers who were exposed to only one media source (AOR 9.3, 95% CI: 8.43-15.60), caregivers with the experience of child death (AOR 0.05, 95% CI: 0.01-0.22), and caregivers seeking permission from their partners to access healthcare (AOR 12.64, 95% CI: 6.98-22.89). Conclusion and recommendations There was a high level of delay in seeking healthcare. Targeted community education through mass media, healthcare facilities, and community-level awareness campaigns should be strengthened to improve early treatment seeking and lessen the consequences of delayed treatment seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilma Chisha
- School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | - Tesfaye Feleke
- School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | - Eshetu Andarge Zeleke
- School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Zeleke Aschalew
- School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | | | - Yosef Haile
- School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | - Mulugeta Dalbo
- Department of Public Health, Arba Minch College of Health Sciences, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
| | - Misganu Endriyas
- South Ethiopia Regional Public Health Institute, Jinka, Ethiopia
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Jack C, Parker C, Kouakou YE, Joubert B, McAllister KA, Ilias M, Maimela G, Chersich M, Makhanya S, Luchters S, Makanga PT, Vos E, Ebi KL, Koné B, Waljee AK, Cissé G. Leveraging data science and machine learning for urban climate adaptation in two major African cities: a HE 2AT Center study protocol. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e077529. [PMID: 38890141 PMCID: PMC11191804 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION African cities, particularly Abidjan and Johannesburg, face challenges of rapid urban growth, informality and strained health services, compounded by increasing temperatures due to climate change. This study aims to understand the complexities of heat-related health impacts in these cities. The objectives are: (1) mapping intraurban heat risk and exposure using health, socioeconomic, climate and satellite imagery data; (2) creating a stratified heat-health forecast model to predict adverse health outcomes; and (3) establishing an early warning system for timely heatwave alerts. The ultimate goal is to foster climate-resilient African cities, protecting disproportionately affected populations from heat hazards. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The research will acquire health-related datasets from eligible adult clinical trials or cohort studies conducted in Johannesburg and Abidjan between 2000 and 2022. Additional data will be collected, including socioeconomic, climate datasets and satellite imagery. These resources will aid in mapping heat hazards and quantifying heat-health exposure, the extent of elevated risk and morbidity. Outcomes will be determined using advanced data analysis methods, including statistical evaluation, machine learning and deep learning techniques. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study has been approved by the Wits Human Research Ethics Committee (reference no: 220606). Data management will follow approved procedures. The results will be disseminated through workshops, community forums, conferences and publications. Data deposition and curation plans will be established in line with ethical and safety considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Jack
- Climate System Analysis Group, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Craig Parker
- Wits Planetary Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Yao Etienne Kouakou
- University Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, Korhogo, Côte d'Ivoire
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Bonnie Joubert
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Maliha Ilias
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Gloria Maimela
- Climate and Health Directorate, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, Hillbrow, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Matthew Chersich
- Wits Planetary Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Public Health and Primary Care, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, UK
| | | | - Stanley Luchters
- Centre for Sexual Health and HIV & AIDS Research (CeSHHAR), Harare, Zimbabwe
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Prestige Tatenda Makanga
- Centre for Sexual Health and HIV & AIDS Research (CeSHHAR), Harare, Zimbabwe
- Surveying and Geomatics Department, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe
| | - Etienne Vos
- IBM Research-Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Brama Koné
- University Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, Korhogo, Côte d'Ivoire
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Akbar K Waljee
- Gastroenterology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, VA Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Guéladio Cissé
- University Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, Korhogo, Côte d'Ivoire
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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Mburu CM, Bukachi SA, Shilabukha K, Tokpa KH, Ezekiel M, Fokou G, Bonfoh B, Kazwala R. Determinants of treatment-seeking behavior during self-reported febrile illness episodes using the socio-ecological model in Kilombero District, Tanzania. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1075. [PMID: 34090402 PMCID: PMC8180143 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11027-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Febrile diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa cause acute and chronic illness. Co-infections are common and these diseases have a complex etiology that includes zoonoses. For the implementation of appropriate treatment and control strategies, determinants of lay treatment-seeking behavior by the affected communities need to be understood. The objective of this study was to explore, using the socio-ecological model, the determinants of treatment-seeking actions among self-identified febrile illness cases in the Kilombero District of Tanzania. Methods Thirty-nine in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 men and 11 women in three villages in Kilombero district. These villages were purposively selected due to malaria endemicity in the area, animal husbandry practices, and proximity to livestock-wildlife interaction, all risk factors for contracting febrile zoonotic infections. Thematic analysis was conducted on the interviews to identify the key determinants of treatment-seeking actions. Results Study participants attributed febrile illnesses to malaria, typhoid and urinary tract infections. Treatment-seeking behavior was an iterative process, influenced by individual, socio-cultural, ecological and policy factors. Age, expendable income, previous history with a febrile illness, perceptions on disease severity, seasonal livelihood activities and access to timely healthcare were some of the determinants. Self-treatment with pharmaceutical drugs and herbs was usually the initial course of action. Formal healthcare was sought only when self-treatment failed and traditional healers were consulted after the perceived failure of conventional treatment. Delays in seeking appropriate health care and the consultation of medically unqualified individuals was very common. Conclusion The results imply that treatment-seeking behavior is shaped by multiple factors across all levels of the socio-ecological model. Public policy efforts need to focus on facilitating prompt health care seeking through community education on the complicated etiology of febrile illnesses. Improved access to timely treatment and better differential diagnostics by health professionals are essential to ensure correct and appropriate treatment and to reduce reliance of patients on unqualified persons. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11027-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M Mburu
- Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - Salome A Bukachi
- Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Khamati Shilabukha
- Institute of Anthropology, Gender and African Studies, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Kathrin H Tokpa
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Mangi Ezekiel
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Gilbert Fokou
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Bassirou Bonfoh
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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Konaté A, Gnagne PA, Bédia-Tanoh VA, Amiah-Droh M, Tano DK, Ignace Eby Menan H, Yavo W. Low rates of Plasmodium falciparum Pfcrt K76T mutation in three sentinel sites of malaria monitoring in Côte d'Ivoire. Acta Parasitol 2018; 63:795-801. [PMID: 30367773 DOI: 10.1515/ap-2018-0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Despite efforts to eliminate it, malaria remains a major public health concern, particularly in Côte d'Ivoire. Chloroquine (CQ) was one of the first drugs used for its treatment, but was officially withdrawn from the market in 2007 following reports of high levels of chloroquine resistance. The present study was carried out after the withdrawal of CQ and provides an update on the rates of CQ resistance in Côte d'Ivoire. Samples were collected between September 2013 and March 2014 in Abidjan and from January to May 2016 in Abengourou and San Pedro through cross-sectional studies. Parasitemia was assessed by microscopy, and single nucleotide polymorphism in the Pfcrt (codon 76) gene was analyzed by nested PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism. A total of 343 samples were analyzed: 119, 106 and 118 were from Abidjan, Abengourou, and San Pedro, respectively. The sex ratio of patients was 0.92. The mean age of patients enrolled was 9.6 years (SD = 10.8). The geometric mean of parasite density was 21,337 parasites/μL (SD = 49,508; range, 2,000-200,000). Molecular analysis revealed 57 K76T mutants (16.6%): 33, 9, and 15 in Abidjan, Abengourou and in San Pedro, respectively. Most of these were found in patients aged ≤15 years (42/57) who had parasitemia greater than 10,000 parasites/μL (40/57). This is the first study conducted in Côte d'Ivoire reporting a decline in Pfcrt K76T mutation rate. Thus, our results indicate the importance of following up on the observed trend also at a national level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abibatou Konaté
- Department of Parasitology, Mycology, Animal Biology and, Zoology, Felix Houphouët-Boigny University, BPV 34,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Malaria Research and Control Centre/National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, BPV 47,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Paterne Akpa Gnagne
- Malaria Research and Control Centre/National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, BPV 47,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Valérie Akoua Bédia-Tanoh
- Department of Parasitology, Mycology, Animal Biology and, Zoology, Felix Houphouët-Boigny University, BPV 34,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Malaria Research and Control Centre/National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, BPV 47,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Mireille Amiah-Droh
- Malaria Research and Control Centre/National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, BPV 47,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Dominique Konan Tano
- Malaria Research and Control Centre/National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, BPV 47,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Hervé Ignace Eby Menan
- Department of Parasitology, Mycology, Animal Biology and, Zoology, Felix Houphouët-Boigny University, BPV 34,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Parasitology and Mycology Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Research Centre on AIDS and the others infectious diseases, 01 BPV 13,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - William Yavo
- Department of Parasitology, Mycology, Animal Biology and, Zoology, Felix Houphouët-Boigny University, BPV 34,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
- Malaria Research and Control Centre/National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, BPV 47,Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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Abstract
This review discusses a growing body of scholarship at the intersection of anthropology and science and technology studies (STS) that examines how drugs are rendered efficacious in laboratories, therapeutic settings, and everyday lives. This literature foregrounds insights into how commercial interests and societal concerns shape the kinds of pharmaceutical effects that are actualized and how some efficacies are blocked in response to moral concerns. The work brought together here reveals how regulatory institutions and health policy makers seek to stabilize pharmaceutical actions while, on the front lines of care, pharmacists, health workers, and users tinker with dosages and indications to tailor pharmaceutical actions to specific circumstances. We show that there is no pure (pharmaceutical) object that precedes its socialization. Pharmaceuticals are not “discovered”; they are made and remade in relation to shifting contexts. This review outlines five key areas of ethnographic and STS research that examines such fluid drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Hardon
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1001 NA, Netherlands
| | - Emilia Sanabria
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie des Enjeux Contemporains (LADEC), École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69364 Lyon, France
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Hsu E. From social lives to playing fields: ‘the Chinese antimalarial’ as artemisnin monotherapy, artemisinin combination therapy and qinghao juice. Anthropol Med 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/13648470.2015.1004505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Eugene-Ezebilo DN, Ezebilo EE. Malaria infection in children in tropical rainforest: assessments by women of Ugbowo Community in Benin City, Nigeria. ASIAN PAC J TROP MED 2014; 7S1:S97-S103. [PMID: 25312201 DOI: 10.1016/s1995-7645(14)60212-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 09/06/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine how mothers recognize malaria infection in children aged less than five and five years, frequency and duration of the infection in these children as well as measures used to reduce exposure of children to mosquito bites, and to discuss the possibilities of designing a strategy that involves mothers in management and control of malaria infection. METHODS The data were originated from personal interviews which involved mothers in the Ugbowo Community in Benin City, Nigeria who were selected using multi-stage systemic random sampling technique. The data were analyzed qualitatively and by use of percentages, arithmetic mean and bar chart. RESULTS The results showed that all the interviewees believed that children got malaria infection along with fever or fever and other symptoms. Approximately 30% of interviewee recognized malaria infection through fever and cough while 1% by fever and vomiting. Approximately 72% of the interviewees claimed that their children had malaria infection every three months and 16% claimed that their children had the infection every month. Most of the interviewees reported that the length of time from recognition of malaria symptoms on their children to treatment was between one and three days. Most of the interviewees used insecticide treated bed nets to reduce their children's exposure to mosquito bites and few used mosquito repellent ointment. CONCLUSIONS For malaria management strategy to be effective and sustainable, it is important to empower women with more knowledge on detection of malaria symptoms and they should be involved in planning and designing the strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eugene E Ezebilo
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.
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Ouattara AF, Dagnogo M, Constant EAV, Koné M, Raso G, Tanner M, Olliaro PL, Utzinger J, Koudou BG. Transmission of malaria in relation to distribution and coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets in central Côte d'Ivoire. Malar J 2014; 13:109. [PMID: 24645751 PMCID: PMC4000051 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-13-109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) is an effective malaria control strategy. However, there are challenges to achieve high coverage, such as distribution sustainability, and coverage keep-up. This study assessed the effect of LLINs coverage and contextual factors on entomological indicators of malaria in rural Côte d’Ivoire. Methods The study was carried out between July 2009 and May 2012 in three villages (Bozi, N’Dakonankro and Yoho) of central Côte d’Ivoire. In Bozi and Yoho, LLINs were distributed free of charge by the national malaria control programme in 2008. In Bozi, an additional distribution was carried out in May 2011. No specific interventions were done in N’Dakonankro. Entomological surveys were conducted in July 2009 and July 2010 (baseline), and in August and November 2011 and in February 2012. Frequency of circumsporozoite protein was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Regression models were employed to assess the impact of LLINs and changing patterns of irrigated rice farming on entomological parameters, and to determine associations with LLINs coverage and other contextual factors. Results In Bozi, high proportion of LLIN usage was observed (95-100%). After six months, 95% of LLINs were washed at least once and 79% were washed up to three times within one year. Anopheles gambiae was the predominant malaria vector (66.6% of all mosquitoes caught). From 2009 to 2012, in N’Dakonankro, the mean annual entomological inoculation rate (EIR) increased significantly from 116.8 infectious bites/human/year (ib/h/y) to 408.8 ib/h/y, while in the intervention villages, the EIR decreased significantly from 514.6 ib/h/y to 62.0 ib/h/y (Bozi) and from 83.9 ib/h/y to 25.5 ib/h/y (Yoho). The risk of an infectious bite over the three-year period was significantly lower in the intervention villages compared to the control village (p <0.001). Conclusion High coverage and sensitization of households to use LLINs through regular visits (particularly in Bozi) and abandoning irrigated rice farming (in Yoho) resulted in highly significant reductions of EIR. The national malaria control programme should consider household sensitization and education campaigns and other contextual factors to maximize the benefit of LLINs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Benjamin G Koudou
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, 01 BP 1303, Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire.
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Kouadio MK, Righetti AA, Abé NN, Wegmüller R, Weiss MG, N'Goran EK, Utzinger J. Local concepts of anemia-related illnesses and public health implications in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system, Côte d'Ivoire. BMC BLOOD DISORDERS 2013; 13:5. [PMID: 24499516 PMCID: PMC3816622 DOI: 10.1186/2052-1839-13-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A 14-month prospective longitudinal study conducted in the Taabo health demographic surveillance system (HDSS), south-central Côte d'Ivoire, revealed high prevalence of anemia in different population groups in three types of settings (i.e., small town, village, and hamlet). Demographic parameters and several variables related to parasitic infections, micronutrient status, and inflammation were significantly associated with higher odds of anemia. However, cultural concepts and knowledge of various anemia-related illnesses and their relation with people's behaviors have not been investigated. METHODS Sixteen focus group discussions and six key informant interviews were performed with village authorities, health workers, and traditional healers. Questionnaires were administrated to 200 school-aged children and 115 young women. Of these individuals, 206 participated in the preceding longitudinal study, whereas the remaining 109 people were not exposed to prior research, but had similar age and sex profiles. Mean prominence of participants' responses was compared between groups of participants and across study settings. RESULTS Local concepts of anemia-related illnesses referred to its perceived causes based on two logical frameworks - biomedical and sociocultural - although a clear distinction was often blurred. We found few differences in knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors across study settings and between participants who were exposed to prior research and newly recruited ones. Malaria und nutritional issues as understood and managed by the population differed from definitions and recommendations provided by the health system. Malaria was not acknowledged as an exclusive mosquito-transmitted disease and participants referred to the quantity, rather than the quality, of food when talking about nutritional issues. CONCLUSIONS Local concepts and ideas about anemia have public health implications, inasmuch as they are related to people's attitudes, risk-related and help-seeking behaviors, which in turn might affect their health status. Local terminology and beliefs about anemia and malaria should be carefully considered when developing health intervention and education programs. The similarity in knowledge about anemia-related illnesses and associated behaviors, regardless of study setting and prior exposure to research, suggests that a uniform communication strategy may be used to develop education programs and awareness campaigns aimed at the prevention and control of anemia in south-central Côte d'Ivoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- M'Bra Kd Kouadio
- Département d'Anthropologie et de Sociologie, Université Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Aurélie A Righetti
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Noël N Abé
- Département d'Anthropologie et de Sociologie, Université Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Rita Wegmüller
- Laboratory of Human Nutrition, Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mitchell G Weiss
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eliézer K N'Goran
- Unité de Formation et de Recherche Biosciences, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.,Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Jürg Utzinger
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Community perceptions on malaria and care-seeking practices in endemic Indian settings: policy implications for the malaria control programme. Malar J 2013; 12:39. [PMID: 23360508 PMCID: PMC3570348 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The focus of India's National Malaria Programme witnessed a paradigm shift recently from health facility to community-based approaches. The current thrust is on diagnosing and treating malaria by community health workers and prevention through free provision of long-lasting insecticidal nets. However, appropriate community awareness and practice are inevitable for the effectiveness of such efforts. In this context, the study assessed community perceptions and practice on malaria and similar febrile illnesses. This evidence base is intended to direct the roll-out of the new strategies and improve community acceptance and utilization of services. METHODS A qualitative study involving 26 focus group discussions and 40 key informant interviews was conducted in two districts of Odisha State in India. The key points of discussion were centred on community perceptions and practice regarding malaria prevention and treatment. Thematic analysis of data was performed. RESULTS The 272 respondents consisted of 50% females, three-quarter scheduled tribe community and 30% students. A half of them were literates. Malaria was reported to be the most common disease in their settings with multiple modes of transmission by the FGD participants. Adoption of prevention methods was seasonal with perceived mosquito density. The reported use of bed nets was low and the utilization was determined by seasonality, affordability, intoxication and alternate uses of nets. Although respondents were aware of malaria-related symptoms, care-seeking from traditional healers and unqualified providers was prevalent. The respondents expressed lack of trust in the community health workers due to frequent drug stock-outs. The major determinants of health care seeking were socio-cultural beliefs, age, gender, faith in the service provider, proximity, poverty, and perceived effectiveness of available services. CONCLUSION Apart from the socio-cultural and behavioural factors, the availability of acceptable care can modulate the community perceptions and practices on malaria management. The current community awareness on symptoms of malaria and prevention is fair, yet the prevention and treatment practices are not optimal. Promoting active community involvement and ownership in malaria control and management through strengthening community based organizations would be relevant. Further, timely availability of drugs and commodities at the community level can improve their confidence in the public health system.
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Ako BA, Offianan AT, Johansson M, Penali LK, Nguetta SPA, Sibley CH. Molecular analysis of markers associated with chloroquine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites from southeastern Côte-d'Ivoire by the time of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy adoption in 2005. Infect Drug Resist 2012; 5:113-20. [PMID: 22904636 PMCID: PMC3418069 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s31409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Artemisin-based combination therapies became the recommended therapy in Côte-d'Ivoire in 2005, but both chloroquine (CQ) and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) have been heavily used for many decades. Despite this long history, little is known about the geographical distribution of drug resistance-conferring genotypes outside the capital city of Abidjan. In this work, we compared the prevalence of drug-resistant genotypes in Bonoua, an urban area, and Samo, a rural agricultural area, in southeastern Côte-d'Ivoire, about 59 km from Abidjan. PATIENTS AND METHODS Samples were collected from symptomatic patients in both sites during the rainy season in 2005. Genomic DNA was isolated and codons associated with resistance to CQ and SP were analyzed: pfcrt codons Cys-72-Ser, Val-73-Val, Met-74-Ile, Arg-75-Glu, Lys-76-Thr; pfdhfr codons Ala-16-Val, Arg-51-Ile, Cys-59-Arg, Ser-108-Arg/Thr, and Ile-164-Leu; pfdhps codons Ser-436-Ala, Ala-437-Gly, Lys-540-Glu, Ala-581-Gly, and Ala-613-Thr/Ser. RESULTS A limited number of genotypes were found in Bonoua compared with Samo. In both sites, the triple-mutant allele CVIET of pfcrt predominated: 100% in Bonoua and 86.2% in Samo. The wild-type allele, NCSI of pfdhfr, was common - 50% in Bonoua and 38.7% in Samo - but the triple-mutant IRNI and double-mutant NRNI were also frequent (IRNI, 32.6% in Bonoua and 19.4% in Samo; NRNI, 15.2% in Bonoua and 9.7% in Samo). In Samo, a wide range of different genotypes of Pfdhps was observed, with alleles carrying the Gly-437 codon fixed in Bonoua and comprising 73% of the isolates in Samo. CONCLUSION Although these two sites are only 8 km apart, they belonged to very different ecological environments. The overall prevalence of alleles of single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with resistance to CQ and SP in both locations was among the highest of the region by 2005, although the more rural site showed a more diverse set of alleles and mixed infections. Continued surveillance of these markers will be a useful tool for drug policy, as both CQ and SP are still frequently used years after withdrawal, and SP is recommended by the World Health Organization for intermittent preventive therapy for pregnant women and infants. Data analyzed herein are among the first to be generated during the year of artemisin-based combination-therapy introduction in Côte-d'Ivoire and could be of some interest for malaria policy-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenger Aristide Ako
- Department of Malariology, Institut Pasteur de Côte-d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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Hadolt B, Hörbst V, Müller-Rockstroh B. Biomedical techniques in context: on the appropriation of biomedical procedures and artifacts. Med Anthropol 2012; 31:179-95. [PMID: 22540313 DOI: 10.1080/01459740.2011.636410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
On the assumption that technical practices and artifacts are fundamental constituents of individual and collective attempts to order lives and bodies in health and sickness, in this introduction, we set out three central propositions. First, medical techniques have to take center stage in research on biomedicine. Second, as medical artifacts travel worldwide, they become part of the processes of sociocultural appropriation. Third, anthropologists have to consider how to study the transformations associated with such appropriation and how much they need to know about the technical aspects of their objects of study. The mutual transformative potential of both biomedical artifacts and practices and the new contexts of application have so far been undertheorized in medical anthropology--a gap that we aim to close with our reflections and the collection of empirical studies of various biomedical techniques in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Hadolt
- Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Abstract
Biomedical technologies like MRI scans offer a way for carers and people with dementia to 'see' pathology, as a means to reorient their perceptions of the body and functionality. Through interpretive and syncretic processes, the MRI and the diagnosis of dementia facilitate the incorporation of the clinical category 'dementia' into social understandings of illness and care in India. Complex shifts occur as families and providers move from socio-cultural explanations of disruption to bio-social etiologies of the disease 'dementia' and then to socio-ecological frameworks of causality. Both the biomedicalisation of illness and the localisation of illness occur as the clinical category 'dementia' is folded into local understandings of illness and care. Through elucidating how the dialectic between biomedical and local knowledge is operationalized, we offer insights into how dementia is absorbed and appropriated into Indian cultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Brijnath
- Department of General Practice, School of Primary Care, Monash University, Building 1, 270 Notting Hill, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia.
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Mens PF, Scheelbeek PF, Al Atabbi H, Enato EF. Peer education: the effects on knowledge of pregnancy related malaria and preventive practices in women of reproductive age in Edo State, Nigeria. BMC Public Health 2011; 11:610. [PMID: 21801460 PMCID: PMC3162527 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2011] [Accepted: 08/01/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is limited uptake of measures to prevent malaria by pregnant women in Nigeria which is often related to the lack of knowledge on Malaria in Pregnancy (MIP) and its effects on mother and foetus. This study, explored peer to peer education as a tool in raising knowledge of MIP among women of child bearing age. Methods 1105 women of child bearing age were interviewed in their households using a structured questionnaire about their knowledge of malaria in general, MIP and use of preventive measures. Thereafter, a peer education campaign was launched to raise the level of knowledge in the community. The interviews were repeated after the campaign and the responses between the pre- and post-intervention were compared. Results In the pre-assessment women on average answered 64.8% of the question on malaria and its possibility to prevent malaria correctly. The peer education campaign had a significant impact in raising the level of knowledge among the women; after the campaign the respondents answered on average 73.8% of the questions correctly. Stratified analysis on pre and post assessment scores for malaria in general (68.8 & 72.9%) and MIP (61.7 & 76.3%) showed also significant increase. Uptake of bed nets was reported to be low: 11.6% Conclusion Peer education led to a significant increase in knowledge of malaria and its prevention but we could not asses its influence on the use of preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra F Mens
- Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)/Royal Tropical Institute, KIT Biomedical Research, AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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