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Gustafsson LL. Strengthening Global Health Research. Glob Health Action 2023; 16:2290638. [PMID: 38133655 PMCID: PMC10763898 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2290638] [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: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Global Health is a young discipline with equity of health and services as its core value. The discipline has a tradition of close links between practice and research in line with the 'Health for All' declaration launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1978. The multitude of existential health crises facing mankind require a research agenda in line with Global Health Research core values and methods, such as transdisciplinary collaboration, long time series of population-based observations and multifaceted interventions. Knowledge gaps cover climate effects on health and mechanisms for global spread and control of antibiotic resistance across species. Such health threats are preferably studied at Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites, a scientific infrastructure for Global Health Research in Africa and Asia, that gains to expand and monitor climate parameters and include sites in the northern hemisphere. Global Health Scientists together with science societies can ensure long-term funding of a global network of population-based health-climate sites. Global Health Scientists and scientific journals should jointly provide data and evidence on global health to governance bodies on regional, national and global levels, in particular to WHO and United Nations in charge of the programme with Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars L. Gustafsson
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Wariri O, Utazi CE, Okomo U, Sowe A, Sogur M, Fofanna S, Ezeani E, Saidy L, Sarwar G, Dondeh BL, Murray KA, Grundy C, Kampmann B. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the coverage and timeliness of routine childhood vaccinations in the Gambia, 2015-2021. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e014225. [PMID: 38148110 PMCID: PMC10753753 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread morbidity and mortality and resulted in the biggest setback in routine vaccinations in three decades. Data on the impact of the pandemic on immunisation in Africa are limited, in part, due to low-quality routine or administrative data. This study examined coverage and timeliness of routine childhood immunisation during the pandemic in The Gambia, a country with an immunisation system considered robust. METHODS We obtained prospective birth cohort data of 57 286 children in over 300 communities in two health and demographic surveillance system sites, including data from the pre-pandemic period (January 2015-February 2020) and the three waves of the pandemic period (March 2020-December 2021). We determined monthly coverage and timeliness (early and delayed) of the birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine (HepB0) and the first dose of pentavalent vaccine (Penta1) during the different waves of the pandemic relative to the pre-pandemic period. We implemented a binomial interrupted time-series regression model. RESULT We observed no significant change in the coverage of HepB0 and Penta1 vaccinations from the pre-pandemic period up until the periods before the peaks of the first and second waves of the pandemic in 2020. However, there was an increase in HepB0 coverage before as well as after the peak of the third wave in 2021 compared with the pre-pandemic period (pre-third wave peak OR = 1.83, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.14; post-third wave period OR=2.20, 95% CI 1.23 to 3.92). There was some evidence that vaccination timeliness changed during specific periods of the pandemic. Early Penta1 vaccination decreased by 70% (OR=0.30, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.78) in the period before the second wave, and delayed HepB0 vaccination decreased by 47% (OR=0.53, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.97) after the peak of the third wave in 2021. CONCLUSION Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Gambia's routine vaccination programme has defied the setbacks witnessed in other settings and remained resilient, with coverage increasing and timeliness improving during the second and third waves. These findings highlight the importance of having adequate surveillance systems to monitor the impact of large shocks to vaccination coverage and timeliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oghenebrume Wariri
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Vaccine Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Chigozie Edson Utazi
- WorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute, , University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Uduak Okomo
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
- MARCH Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Alieu Sowe
- Expanded Programme on Immunization, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Malick Sogur
- Expanded Programme on Immunization, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Sidat Fofanna
- Expanded Programme on Immunization, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Esu Ezeani
- Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Lamin Saidy
- Data Management & Architecture, MRC Unit The Gambia a London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Golam Sarwar
- Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS), MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Bai-Lamin Dondeh
- Data Management & Architecture, MRC Unit The Gambia a London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Kris A Murray
- Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, MRC Unit The Gambia at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Chris Grundy
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
- Vaccine Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Centre for Global Health, Charité Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Barteit S, Colmar D, Nellis S, Thu M, Watterson J, Gouwanda D, Bärnighausen T, Su TT. Developing Climate Change and Health Impact Monitoring with eHealth at the South East Asia Community Observatory and Health and Demographic Surveillance Site, Malaysia (CHIMES). Front Public Health 2023; 11:1153149. [PMID: 38125843 PMCID: PMC10732307 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1153149] [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: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Malaysia is projected to experience an increase in heat, rainfall, rainfall variability, dry spells, thunderstorms, and high winds due to climate change. This may lead to a rise in heat-related mortality, reduced nutritional security, and potential migration due to uninhabitable land. Currently, there is limited data regarding the health implications of climate change on the Malaysian populace, which hinders informed decision-making and interventions. Objective This study aims to assess the feasibility and reliability of using sensor-based devices to enhance climate change and health research within the SEACO health and demographic surveillance site (HDSS) in Malaysia. We will particularly focus on the effects of climate-sensitive diseases, emphasizing lung conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Methods In our mixed-methods approach, 120 participants (>18 years) from the SEACO HDSS in Segamat, Malaysia, will be engaged over three cycles, each lasting 3 weeks. Participants will use wearables to monitor heart rate, activity, and sleep. Indoor sensors will measure temperature in indoor living spaces, while 3D-printed weather stations will track indoor temperature and humidity. In each cycle, a minimum of 10 participants at high risk for COPD or asthma will be identified. Through interviews and questionnaires, we will evaluate the devices' reliability, the prevalence of climate-sensitive lung diseases, and their correlation with environmental factors, like heat and humidity. Results We anticipate that the sensor-based measurements will offer a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between climate-sensitive diseases and weather variables. The data is expected to reveal correlations between health impacts and weather exposures like heat. Participant feedback will offer perspectives on the usability and feasibility of these digital tools. Conclusion Our study within the SEACO HDSS in Malaysia will evaluate the potential of sensor-based digital technologies in monitoring the interplay between climate change and health, particularly for climate-sensitive diseases like COPD and asthma. The data generated will likely provide details on health profiles in relation to weather exposures. Feedback will indicate the acceptability of these tools for broader health surveillance. As climate change continues to impact global health, evaluating the potential of such digital technologies is crucial to understand its potential to inform policy and intervention strategies in vulnerable regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Colmar
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Syahrul Nellis
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Min Thu
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Jessica Watterson
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Darwin Gouwanda
- School of Engineering (Mechanical), Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, United States
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Tin Tin Su
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
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Krishnan A. Mortality Surveillance at District Level is an Orphan: Can Indian Medical Colleges Adopt it? Indian J Community Med 2023; 48:805-807. [PMID: 38249690 PMCID: PMC10795862 DOI: 10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_634_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
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Menashe-Oren A, Compaoré Y, Bocquier P, Ginsburg C. Dynamic household structure and composition: a manual for longitudinal analysis of living arrangements. BMC Res Notes 2023; 16:223. [PMID: 37726762 PMCID: PMC10510116 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06485-x] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This research note introduces a set of tools to conduct analysis of household structure and composition with either limited or comprehensive longitudinal data. The data used here are from Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems in Africa, but the methods can be adapted and applied to other longitudinal micro-data such as register data. A training manual describing the procedures for creating time-varying household measures step-by-step is supplied as supplementary material to this note. Code is provided in STATA but can easily be translated for other statistical software, and the logic for each step remains the same. RESULTS The analysis of household structure demonstrates how with limited data (such as a household identifier), it is possible to construct time-varying measures of household membership, including household size or the number of members in specific age and sex groups. The analysis of household composition demonstrates how with expanded data (including links to parents in addition to residence status in the same household), it is possible to construct time-varying measures of household membership of specific kin, i.e. mother, sibling or grandparent. The results illustrated in this research note are a taste of what can be achieved by following the training manual in the supplementary material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashira Menashe-Oren
- Centre for Demographic Research, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Yacouba Compaoré
- Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP), Université Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Philippe Bocquier
- Centre for Demographic Research, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Carren Ginsburg
- Medical Research Council/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Ruiz-Castillo P, Imputiua S, Xie K, Elobolobo E, Nicolas P, Montaña J, Jamisse E, Munguambe H, Materrula F, Casellas A, Deng X, Marathe A, Rabinovich R, Saute F, Chaccour C, Sacoor C. BOHEMIA a cluster randomized trial to assess the impact of an endectocide-based one health approach to malaria in Mozambique: baseline demographics and key malaria indicators. Malar J 2023; 22:172. [PMID: 37271818 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04605-3] [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: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many geographical areas of sub-Saharan Africa, especially in rural settings, lack complete and up-to-date demographic data, posing a challenge for implementation and evaluation of public health interventions and carrying out large-scale health research. A demographic survey was completed in Mopeia district, located in the Zambezia province in Mozambique, to inform the Broad One Health Endectocide-based Malaria Intervention in Africa (BOHEMIA) cluster randomized clinical trial, which tested ivermectin mass drug administration to humans and/or livestock as a potential novel strategy to decrease malaria transmission. METHODS The demographic survey was a prospective descriptive study, which collected data of all the households in the district that accepted to participate. Households were mapped through geolocation and identified with a unique identification number. Basic demographic data of the household members was collected and each person received a permanent identification number for the study. RESULTS 25,550 households were mapped and underwent the demographic survey, and 131,818 individuals were registered in the district. The average household size was 5 members and 76.9% of households identified a male household head. Housing conditions are often substandard with low access to improved water systems and electricity. The reported coverage of malaria interventions was 71.1% for indoor residual spraying and 54.1% for universal coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets. The median age of the population was 15 years old. There were 910 deaths in the previous 12 months reported, and 43.9% were of children less than 5 years of age. CONCLUSIONS The study showed that the district had good coverage of vector control tools against malaria but sub-optimal living conditions and poor access to basic services. The majority of households are led by males and Mopeia Sede/Cuacua is the most populated locality in the district. The population of Mopeia is young (< 15 years) and there is a high childhood mortality. The results of this survey were crucial as they provided the household and population profiles and allowed the design and implementation of the cluster randomized clinical trial. Trial registration NCT04966702.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kexin Xie
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Eldo Elobolobo
- Centro de Investigaçao em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique
| | - Patricia Nicolas
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigaçao em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique
| | - Julia Montaña
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigaçao em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique
| | - Edgar Jamisse
- Centro de Investigaçao em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique
| | | | | | - Aina Casellas
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xinwei Deng
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Achla Marathe
- Network Systems Science and Advanced Computing Division, Biocomplexity Institute, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Regina Rabinovich
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Francisco Saute
- Centro de Investigaçao em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhiça, Mozambique
| | - Carlos Chaccour
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Ciberinfec, Madrid, Spain
- Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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Odimegwu C, Muchemwa M, Akinyemi JO. Systematic review of multilevel models involving contextual characteristics in African demographic research. JOURNAL OF POPULATION RESEARCH 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12546-023-09305-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
AbstractMultilevel modelling has become a popular analytical approach for many demographic and health outcomes. The objective of this paper is to systematically review studies which used multilevel modelling in demographic research in Africa in terms of the outcomes analysed, common findings, theoretical rationale, questions addressed, methodological approaches, study design and data sources. The review was conducted by searching electronic databases such as Ebsco hosts, Science Direct, ProQuest, Scopus, PubMed and Google scholar for articles published between 2010 and 2021. Search terms such as neighbourhood, social, ecological and environmental context were used. The systematic review consisted of 35 articles, with 34 being peer-reviewed journal articles and 1 technical report. Based on the systematic review community-level factors are important in explaining various demographic outcomes. The community-level factors such as distance to the health facility, geographical region, place of residence, high illiteracy rates and the availability of maternal antenatal care services influenced several child health outcomes. The interpretation of results in the reviewed studies mainly focused on fixed effects rather than random effects. It is observed that data on cultural practices, values and beliefs, are needed to enrich the robust evidence generated from multilevel models.
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Barteit S, Sié A, Zabré P, Traoré I, Ouédraogo WA, Boudo V, Munga S, Khagayi S, Obor D, Muok E, Franke J, Schwarz M, Blass K, Su TT, Bärnighausen T, Sankoh O, Sauerborn R. Widening the lens of population-based health research to climate change impacts and adaptation: the climate change and health evaluation and response system (CHEERS). Front Public Health 2023; 11:1153559. [PMID: 37304117 PMCID: PMC10248881 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1153559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Climate change significantly impacts health in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), exacerbating vulnerabilities. Comprehensive data for evidence-based research and decision-making is crucial but scarce. Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (HDSSs) in Africa and Asia provide a robust infrastructure with longitudinal population cohort data, yet they lack climate-health specific data. Acquiring this information is essential for understanding the burden of climate-sensitive diseases on populations and guiding targeted policies and interventions in LMICs to enhance mitigation and adaptation capacities. Objective The objective of this research is to develop and implement the Change and Health Evaluation and Response System (CHEERS) as a methodological framework, designed to facilitate the generation and ongoing monitoring of climate change and health-related data within existing Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (HDSSs) and comparable research infrastructures. Methods CHEERS uses a multi-tiered approach to assess health and environmental exposures at the individual, household, and community levels, utilizing digital tools such as wearable devices, indoor temperature and humidity measurements, remotely sensed satellite data, and 3D-printed weather stations. The CHEERS framework utilizes a graph database to efficiently manage and analyze diverse data types, leveraging graph algorithms to understand the complex interplay between health and environmental exposures. Results The Nouna CHEERS site, established in 2022, has yielded significant preliminary findings. By using remotely-sensed data, the site has been able to predict crop yield at a household level in Nouna and explore the relationships between yield, socioeconomic factors, and health outcomes. The feasibility and acceptability of wearable technology have been confirmed in rural Burkina Faso for obtaining individual-level data, despite the presence of technical challenges. The use of wearables to study the impact of extreme weather on health has shown significant effects of heat exposure on sleep and daily activity, highlighting the urgent need for interventions to mitigate adverse health consequences. Conclusion Implementing the CHEERS in research infrastructures can advance climate change and health research, as large and longitudinal datasets have been scarce for LMICs. This data can inform health priorities, guide resource allocation to address climate change and health exposures, and protect vulnerable communities in LMICs from these exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Barteit
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ali Sié
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - Pascal Zabré
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | - I Traoré
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Valentin Boudo
- Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna, Nouna, Burkina Faso
| | | | | | - David Obor
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Erick Muok
- Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | | | | | - Klaus Blass
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tin Tin Su
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) and Global Public Health, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Till Bärnighausen
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Osman Sankoh
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Statistics Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Rainer Sauerborn
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Geldsetzer P, Tan MM, Dewi FST, Quyen BTT, Juvekar S, Hanifi SMA, Roy S, Asgari-Jirhandeh N, Reidpath D, Su TT. Hypertension care in demographic surveillance sites: a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Viet Nam. Bull World Health Organ 2022; 100:601-609. [PMID: 36188011 PMCID: PMC9511672 DOI: 10.2471/blt.22.287807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine the proportion of adults with hypertension who reported: (i) having been previously diagnosed with hypertension; (ii) taking blood pressure-lowering medication; and (iii) having achieved hypertension control, in five health and demographic surveillance system sites across five countries in Asia. Methods Data were collected during household surveys conducted between 2016 and 2020 in the five surveillance sites in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Viet Nam. We defined hypertension as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg or taking blood pressure-lowering medication. We defined hypertension control as systolic blood pressure < 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg. We disaggregated hypertension awareness, treatment and control by surveillance site, and within each site by sex, age group, education, body mass index and smoking status. Findings Of 22 142 participants, 11 137 had hypertension (Bangladesh: 211; India: 487; Indonesia: 1641; Malaysia: 8164; and Viet Nam: 634). The mean age of participants with hypertension was 60 years (range: 19-101 years). Only in the Malaysian site were more than half of individuals with hypertension aware of their condition. Hypertension treatment ranged from 20.8% (341/1641; 95% CI: 18.8-22.8%) in the Indonesian site to 44.7% (3649/8164; 95% CI: 43.6-45.8%) in the Malaysian site. Less than one in four participants with hypertension had achieved hypertension control in any site. Hypertension awareness, treatment and control were generally higher among women and older adults. Conclusion While hypertension awareness and treatment varied widely across surveillance sites, hypertension control was low in all sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Geldsetzer
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, United States of America
| | - Min Min Tan
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Fatwa ST Dewi
- Sleman Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Bui TT Quyen
- Chililab Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Department of Biostatistics, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Sanjay Juvekar
- Vadu Health and Demographic Surveillance System, KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune, India
| | - Sayed MA Hanifi
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Sudipto Roy
- Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Nima Asgari-Jirhandeh
- Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Daniel Reidpath
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Tin Tin Su
- South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO), Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Selangor, Malaysia
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Serology as a Tool to Assess Infectious Disease Landscapes and Guide Public Health Policy. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11070732. [PMID: 35889978 PMCID: PMC9323579 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11070732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the local burden and epidemiology of infectious diseases is crucial to guide public health policy and prioritize interventions. Typically, infectious disease surveillance relies on capturing clinical cases within a healthcare system, classifying cases by etiology and enumerating cases over a period of time. Disease burden is often then extrapolated to the general population. Serology (i.e., examining serum for the presence of pathogen-specific antibodies) has long been used to inform about individuals past exposure and immunity to specific pathogens. However, it has been underutilized as a tool to evaluate the infectious disease burden landscape at the population level and guide public health decisions. In this review, we outline how serology provides a powerful tool to complement case-based surveillance for determining disease burden and epidemiology of infectious diseases, highlighting its benefits and limitations. We describe the current serology-based technologies and illustrate their use with examples from both the pre- and post- COVID-19-pandemic context. In particular, we review the challenges to and opportunities in implementing serological surveillance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which bear the brunt of the global infectious disease burden. Finally, we discuss the relevance of serology data for public health decision-making and describe scenarios in which this data could be used, either independently or in conjunction with case-based surveillance. We conclude that public health systems would greatly benefit from the inclusion of serology to supplement and strengthen existing case-based infectious disease surveillance strategies.
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Ghebreyesus TA, Graham WJ. A life in death: reflections of Peter. Glob Health Action 2021; 14:2056377. [PMID: 35377285 PMCID: PMC8986247 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2021.2056377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Wendy J Graham
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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