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Sweet R, Kasali N. Public health intervention amidst conflict: Violence, politics, and knowledge frames in the 2018-20 Ebola epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Soc Sci Med 2024; 350:116854. [PMID: 38713978 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Research, policy, and donor interest in health systems in conflict environments has grown rapidly in recent years. The 2018-20 Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo is a critical case of healthcare militarization. The first-ever such outbreak in an active conflict zone, it grew notorious for violence against response teams, with attacks aggravating the spread of disease. However, while medical responders observed physical attacks, the causes of the violence remained largely unknown. Drawing on interviews and participant observation, we contribute civilian vantages of the way health intervention grew militarized, or associated with conflict. The argument builds in two core steps. A first reconstructs civilian experiences of conflict prior to Ebola to trace how the response took on a political meaning. We find that relationships linking state forces with the health response inadvertently tethered Ebola to what civilians perceived as security threats and that by repeating government statements about conflict, response teams unintentionally endorsed a version of the truth that silenced local voices. A second step addresses a central paradox: residents communicated these concerns directly, repeatedly, and via official response channels, yet healthcare teams failed to apply these insights. We locate this gap in the knowledge structures, or frames, accompanying intervention. Medical emergencies in warzones operate with dual sets of frames casting conflict players as "non-state" and public health resistance as "ignorance." Both frames intersect in ways that amplify invisibilities in each, clouding understandings of the nature of conflict and humanitarians' role in it. We suggest this places intervention teams at heightened risk of mis-stepping on political fault lines-and not understanding why. The study advances work on community engagement by showing that instead of simply providing scientific knowledge, effective engagement requires adjusting socio-political lenses within the response. It contributes to studies on health intervention, humanitarian emergencies, and the limits of medical neutrality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Sweet
- Kroc Institute for Institutional Peace Studies, Department of Political Science, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame, 306 Hesburgh International Center, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
| | - Noé Kasali
- Bethesda Counseling Center, Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo, Quartier Kipriani, Beni, North Kivu, Congo
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Hafez S, Ismail SA, Zibwowa Z, Alhamshary N, Elsayed R, Dhaliwal M, Samuels F, Fakoya A. Community interventions for pandemic preparedness: A scoping review of pandemic preparedness lessons from HIV, COVID-19, and other public health emergencies of international concern. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002758. [PMID: 38709792 PMCID: PMC11073720 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Community action is broadly recognised as central to comprehensive and effective system responses to pandemics. However, there is uncertainty about how and where communities can be best supported to bolster long-term resilience and preparedness. We applied a typology of community interventions (Community Informing, Consulting, Involving, Collaborating or Empowering-or CICICE) to cover the diverse range of interventions identified across the literature and used this to structure a scoping review addressing three linked topics: (i) how CICICE interventions have been understood and applied in the literature on epidemic and pandemic preparedness; (ii) the spectrum of interventions that have been implemented to strengthen CICICE and (iii) what evidence is available on their effectiveness in influencing preparedness for current and future emergencies. We drew on peer-reviewed and grey literature from the HIV (from 2000) and COVID-19 pandemics and recent public health emergencies of international concern (from 2008), identified through systematic searches in MEDLINE, Scopus, the Cochrane Collaboration database, supplemented by keyword-structured searches in GoogleScholar and websites of relevant global health organisations. Following screening and extraction, key themes were identified using a combined inductive/deductive approach. 130 papers met the criteria for inclusion. Interventions for preparedness were identified across the spectrum of CICICE. Most work on COVID-19 focused on informing and consulting rather than capacity building and empowerment. The literature on HIV was more likely to report interventions emphasising human rights perspectives and empowerment. There was little robust evidence on the role of CICICE interventions in building preparedness. Evidence of effect was most robust for multi-component interventions for HIV prevention and control. Much of the reporting focused on intermediate outcomes, including measures of health service utilisation. We put forward a series of recommendations to help address evidence shortfalls, including clarifying definitions, organising and stratifying interventions by several parameters and strengthening evaluation methods for CICICE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sali Hafez
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sharif A. Ismail
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Zandile Zibwowa
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nadin Alhamshary
- The Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development, School of Medicine, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Reem Elsayed
- The University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mandeep Dhaliwal
- HIV and Health Group, United Nations Development Program, New York, United States of America
| | - Fiona Samuels
- Centre for Public Health and Policy, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ade Fakoya
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Guttieres D, Diepvens C, Decouttere C, Vandaele N. Modeling Supply and Demand Dynamics of Vaccines against Epidemic-Prone Pathogens: Case Study of Ebola Virus Disease. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 12:24. [PMID: 38250837 PMCID: PMC10819028 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Health emergencies caused by epidemic-prone pathogens (EPPs) have increased exponentially in recent decades. Although vaccines have proven beneficial, they are unavailable for many pathogens. Furthermore, achieving timely and equitable access to vaccines against EPPs is not trivial. It requires decision-makers to capture numerous interrelated factors across temporal and spatial scales, with significant uncertainties, variability, delays, and feedback loops that give rise to dynamic and unexpected behavior. Therefore, despite progress in filling R&D gaps, the path to licensure and the long-term viability of vaccines against EPPs continues to be unclear. This paper presents a quantitative system dynamics modeling framework to evaluate the long-term sustainability of vaccine supply under different vaccination strategies. Data from both literature and 50 expert interviews are used to model the supply and demand of a prototypical Ebolavirus Zaire (EBOV) vaccine. Specifically, the case study evaluates dynamics associated with proactive vaccination ahead of an outbreak of similar magnitude as the 2018-2020 epidemic in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The scenarios presented demonstrate how uncertainties (e.g., duration of vaccine-induced protection) and design criteria (e.g., priority geographies and groups, target coverage, frequency of boosters) lead to important tradeoffs across policy aims, public health outcomes, and feasibility (e.g., technical, operational, financial). With sufficient context and data, the framework provides a foundation to apply the model to a broad range of additional geographies and priority pathogens. Furthermore, the ability to identify leverage points for long-term preparedness offers directions for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donovan Guttieres
- Access-to-Medicines Research Centre, Faculty of Economics & Business, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (C.D.); (C.D.); (N.V.)
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May T, Towler L, Smith LE, Horwood J, Denford S, Rubin GJ, Hickman M, Amlôt R, Oliver I, Yardley L. Mpox knowledge, behaviours and barriers to public health measures among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in the UK: a qualitative study to inform public health guidance and messaging. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2265. [PMID: 37978506 PMCID: PMC10655366 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17196-0] [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: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 2022-23 mpox epidemic is the first-time sustained community transmission had been reported in countries without epidemiological links to endemic areas. During that period, the outbreak almost exclusively affected sexual networks of gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and people living with HIV. In efforts to control transmission, multiple public health measures were implemented, including vaccination, contact tracing and isolation. This study examines knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of mpox among a sample of GBMSM during the 2022-23 outbreak in the UK, including facilitators for and barriers to the uptake of public health measures. METHODS Interviews were conducted with 44 GBMSM between May and December 2022. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Positive and negative comments pertaining to public health measures were collated in a modified version of a 'table of changes' to inform optimisations to public health messages and guidance. RESULTS Most interviewees were well informed about mpox transmission mechanisms and were either willing to or currently adhering to public health measures, despite low perceptions of mpox severity. Measures that aligned with existing sexual health practices and norms were considered most acceptable. Connections to GBMSM networks and social media channels were found to increase exposure to sexual health information and norms influencing protective behaviours. Those excluded or marginalized from these networks found some measures challenging to perform or adhere to. Although social media was a key mode of information sharing, there were preferences for timely information from official sources to dispel exaggerated or misleading information. CONCLUSIONS There are differential needs, preferences, and experiences of GBMSM that limit the acceptability of some mitigation and prevention measures. Future public health interventions and campaigns should be co-designed in consultation with key groups and communities to ensure greater acceptability and credibility in different contexts and communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom May
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Lauren Towler
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Louise E Smith
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, King's College London, London, UK
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jeremy Horwood
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sarah Denford
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - G James Rubin
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, King's College London, London, UK
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew Hickman
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Richard Amlôt
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, King's College London, London, UK
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Chief Scientific Officer's Group, London, UK
| | - Isabel Oliver
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency, Chief Scientific Officer's Group, London, UK
| | - Lucy Yardley
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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Dada S, Aivalli P, De Brún A, Barreix M, Chelwa N, Mutunga Z, Vwalika B, Gilmore B. Understanding communication in community engagement for maternal and newborn health programmes in low- and middle-income countries: a realist review. Health Policy Plan 2023; 38:1079-1098. [PMID: 37650702 PMCID: PMC10566325 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
As community engagement (CE) is implemented for sustainable maternal and newborn health (MNH) programming, it is important to determine how these approaches work. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have become a particular focus for MNH CE activities due to their high burden of maternal and neonatal deaths. MNH messaging and communication to engage communities are likely to differ by context, but how these approaches are actually developed and implemented within CE is not well understood. Understanding how communications in CE actually work is vital in the translation of learnings across programmes and to inform future projects. The purpose of this realist review is to describe how, why, to what extent and for whom communications in CE contribute to MNH programming in LMICs. After searching academic databases, grey literature and literature suggested by the expert advisory committee, documents were included if they described the CE communication processes/activities used for MNH programming in an LMIC. Relevant documents were assessed for richness (depth of insight) and rigor (trustworthiness and coherence of data/theories). Data were extracted as context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOCs) and synthesized into demi-regularities to contribute to theory refinement. After screening 416 records, 45 CMOCs were extracted from 11 documents. This informed five programme theories explaining that communications in CE for an MNH programme work when: communities are actively involved throughout the programme, the messaging and programme are acceptable, communication sources are trusted, the community has a reciprocal relationship with the programme and the community sees value in the programme. While these findings reflect what is often anecdotally known in CE or acknowledged in communications theory, they have implications for policy, practice and research by highlighting the importance of centring the community's needs and priorities throughout the stages of developing and implementing communications for CE in MNH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dada
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS Centre), University College Dublin, School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems , Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Praveenkumar Aivalli
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS Centre), University College Dublin, School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems , Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Aoife De Brún
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS Centre), University College Dublin, School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems , Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Maria Barreix
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1211, Geneva 27, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Bellington Vwalika
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Brynne Gilmore
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS Centre), University College Dublin, School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems , Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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Abdul-Rahman T, Lawal L, Meale E, Ajetunmobi OA, Toluwalashe S, Alao UH, Ghosh S, Garg N, Aborode AT, Wireko AA, Mehta A, Sikora K. Inequitable access to Ebola vaccines and the resurgence of Ebola in Africa: A state of arts review. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28986. [PMID: 37534818 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28986] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
The Ebola virus, a member of the filoviridae family of viruses, is responsible for causing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) with a case fatality rate as high as 50%. The largest EVD outbreak was recorded in West Africa from March 2013 to June 2016, leading to over 28 000 cases and 11 000 deaths. It affected several countries, including Nigeria, Senegal, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Until then, EVD was predominantly reported in remote villages in central and west Africa close to tropical rainforests. Human mobility, behavioral and cultural norms, the use of bushmeat, burial customs, preference for traditional remedies and treatments, and resistance to health interventions are just a few of the social factors that considerably aid and amplify the risk of transmission. The scale and persistence of recent ebola outbreaks, as well as the risk of widespread global transmission and its ability for bioterrorism, have led to a rethinking of public health strategies to curb the disease, such as the expedition of Ebola vaccine production. However, as vaccine production lags in the subcontinent, among other challenges, the risk of another ebola outbreak is likely and feared by public health authorities in the region. This review describes the inequality of vaccine production in Africa and the resurgence of EVD, emphasizing the significance of health equality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toufik Abdul-Rahman
- Medical Institute, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine
- ICORMed Collaborative, Sumy, Ukraine
| | - Lukman Lawal
- Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Emily Meale
- Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Soyemi Toluwalashe
- Lagos State University of College of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Ikeja, Nigeria
| | - Uthman Hassan Alao
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Shankhaneel Ghosh
- Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Neil Garg
- Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Andrew Awuah Wireko
- Medical Institute, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine
- ICORMed Collaborative, Sumy, Ukraine
| | - Aashna Mehta
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Dada S, Cocoman O, Portela A, De Brún A, Bhattacharyya S, Tunçalp Ö, Jackson D, Gilmore B. What's in a name? Unpacking 'Community Blank' terminology in reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health: a scoping review. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:bmjgh-2022-009423. [PMID: 36750272 PMCID: PMC9906186 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Engaging the community as actors within reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) programmes (referred to as 'community blank') has seen increased implementation in recent years. While evidence suggests these approaches are effective, terminology (such as 'community engagement,' 'community participation,' 'community mobilisation,' and 'social accountability') is often used interchangeably across published literature, contributing to a lack of conceptual clarity in practice. The purpose of this review was to describe and clarify varying uses of these terms in the literature by documenting what authors and implementers report they are doing when they use these terms. METHODS Seven academic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Global Health), two grey literature databases (OAIster, OpenGrey) and relevant organisation websites were searched for documents that described 'community blank' terms in RMNCH interventions. Eligibility criteria included being published between 1975 and 1 October 2021 and reports or studies detailing the activities used in 'community blank.' RESULTS: A total of 9779 unique documents were retrieved and screened, with 173 included for analysis. Twenty-four distinct 'community blank' terms were used across the documents, falling into 11 broader terms. Use of these terms was distributed across time and all six WHO regions, with 'community mobilisation', 'community engagement' and 'community participation' being the most frequently used terms. While 48 unique activities were described, only 25 activities were mentioned more than twice and 19 of these were attributed to at least three different 'community blank' terms. CONCLUSION Across the literature, there is inconsistency in the usage of 'community blank' terms for RMNCH. There is an observed interchangeable use of terms and a lack of descriptions of these terms provided in the literature. There is a need for RMNCH researchers and practitioners to clarify the descriptions reported and improve the documentation of 'community blank' implementation. This can contribute to a better sharing of learning within and across communities and to bringing evidence-based practices to scale. Efforts to improve reporting can be supported with the use of standardised monitoring and evaluation processes and indicators. Therefore, it is recommended that future research endeavours clarify the operational definitions of 'community blank' and improve the documentation of its implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dada
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland .,UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS), School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Olive Cocoman
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Anayda Portela
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Aoife De Brún
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland,UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS), School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Özge Tunçalp
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneve, Switzerland
| | - Debra Jackson
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London, UK
| | - Brynne Gilmore
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland,UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS), School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Yamanis T, Carlitz R, Gonyea O, Skaff S, Kisanga N, Mollel H. Confronting 'chaos': a qualitative study assessing public health officials' perceptions of the factors affecting Tanzania's COVID-19 vaccine rollout. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e065081. [PMID: 36720575 PMCID: PMC9890278 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mass COVID-19 vaccination in Africa is required to end the pandemic. In low-income settings, street-level bureaucrats (SLBs), or public officials who interact directly with citizens, are typically responsible for carrying out vaccination plans and earning community confidence in vaccines. The study interviewed SLBs to assess their perceptions of the factors affecting COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Tanzania. METHODS We interviewed 50 SLBs (19 rural; 31 urban) responsible for implementing COVID-19 vaccination microplans across four diverse regions and districts of Tanzania in September 2021. Moreover, we conducted six in-depth interviews with non-governmental organisation representatives and seven focus group discussions with health facility governing committees. We asked for their perceptions of factors facilitating and challenging vaccine rollout according to three preidentified domains: political, health system and community. We analysed translated transcripts using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS Political factors facilitating mass vaccination included the executive leadership change from a denialist president to a president who accepted vaccines and promoted transparency. Global integration, commercially and politically, also motivated vaccine acceptance. Political challenges included community confusion that emerged from the consecutive presidents' divergent communications and messaging by prominent religious antivaccination leaders. Health system factors facilitating vaccination included scaling up of immunisation sites and campaigns. Urban district officials reported greater access to vaccination sites, compared with rural officials. Limited financial resources for paying healthcare workers and for transport fuel and a lack of COVID-19 testing compromised mass vaccination. Furthermore, SLBs reported being inadequately trained on COVID-19 vaccine benefits and side effects. Having community sources of accurate information was critical to mass vaccination. Challenges at the community level included patriarchal gender dynamics, low risk perception, disinformation that the vaccine has satanic elements, and lack of trust in coronavirus vaccines. CONCLUSION Mass COVID-19 vaccination in Tanzania will require greater resources and investment in training SLBs to mitigate mistrust, overcome misinformation, and engage communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thespina Yamanis
- School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ruth Carlitz
- Department of Political Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Olivia Gonyea
- Department of Health Studies, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Sophia Skaff
- School of International Service, American University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nelson Kisanga
- Department of Health Systems Management, Mzumbe University, Mzumbe, Tanzania
| | - Henry Mollel
- Department of Health Systems Management, Mzumbe University, Mzumbe, Tanzania
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Perrone C, Schilling W, Callery JJ, Ashley EA, Chambers M, Chase H, Dahal P, Kanthawang N, Nedsuwan S, Hanboonkunupakarn B, Intralawan D, Karkey A, Mayxay M, Souvong V, Tran Minh H, Udas Shakya S, Sharma SK, Uranw S, Vannachione S, Woodrow C, White NJ, Cheah PY. Good participatory practice for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) research: the case of a COVID-19 prevention study. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 6:216. [PMID: 36866279 PMCID: PMC9971639 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16880.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The COPCOV study (chloroquine/ hydroxychloroquine prevention of coronavirus disease), which started recruitment in April 2020, is a multi-country double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial which is being conducted in healthcare facilities involved in COVID-19 case management. Participants are staff employed in facilities managing people with proven or suspected COVID-19. As part of the study, we conducted a series of engagement sessions. The aims were to assess the feasibility of the study, to identify context-specific ethical issues, to understand possible concerns, to fine tune research procedures and to refine the COPCOV information materials. Methods: The COPCOV study was approved by relevant institutional review boards. The sessions described in this paper were part of the study. We conducted a series of engagement sessions, each involving a short presentation of the study, a section where attendees were asked to express their willingness to participate in such a study, which information they would need to change their view and an open Q&A section. Answers were transcribed and coded into themes by two independent investigators. Themes were derived from the data. They complemented other site-specific engagement, communication, and public relation activities such as press releases and websites. Results and conclusions: From 16 th March 2020 to 20 th January 2021, 12 engagement sessions were conducted in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal and the UK involving 213 attendees in total. Issues raised revolved around the social value and study rationale; safety of trial medications and risk-benefit balance; study design and commitments. These sessions helped us identify concerns people had, which helped us refine information materials as well as complement site feasibility assessments. Our experience strongly supports the use of participatory practices prior to conducting clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Perrone
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,
| | - William Schilling
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - James J. Callery
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elizabeth A. Ashley
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Mary Chambers
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
| | - Hannah Chase
- Medical Sciences Divisional Office, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Piyush Dahal
- KHDC Program, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | | | - Supalert Nedsuwan
- Primary Care Department, Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand
| | - Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Daranee Intralawan
- Primary Care Department, Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand
| | - Abhilasha Karkey
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU-Nepal), Patan Hospital,, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Mayfong Mayxay
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic,University of Health Sciences in Lao P.D.R., Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Vimalay Souvong
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Hien Tran Minh
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
| | - Summita Udas Shakya
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU-Nepal), Patan Hospital,, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Sanjib Kumar Sharma
- Department of Internal Medicine, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Surendra Uranw
- Department of Internal Medicine, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Souphaphone Vannachione
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Charles Woodrow
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas J. White
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Phaik Yeong Cheah
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,The Ethox Centre, University of Exford, Oxford, UK
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10
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Lee SJ, Vernooij E, Enria L, Kelly AH, Rogers J, Ansumana R, Bangura MH, Lees S, Street A. Human preparedness: Relational infrastructures and medical countermeasures in Sierra Leone. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:4129-4145. [PMID: 36168658 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2110917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines health worker experiences in two areas of post-epidemic preparedness in Sierra Leone - vaccine trials and laboratory strengthening - to reflect on the place of people in current models of epidemic response. Drawing on ethnographic research and interviews with health workers in the aftermath of Ebola, it explores the hopes and expectations that interventions foster for frontline workers in under-resourced health systems, and describes the unseen work involved in sustaining robust response infrastructures. Our analysis focuses on what it means for the people who sustain health systems in an emergency to be 'prepared' for an epidemic. Human preparedness entails more than the presence of a labour force; it involves building and maintaining 'relational infrastructures', often fragile social and moral relationships between health workers, publics, governments, and international organisations. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the value of rethinking human resources from an anthropological perspective, and investing in the safety and support of people at the forefront of response. In describing the labour, personal losses, and social risks undertaken by frontline workers for protocols and practicality to meet in an emergency context, we describe the social process of preparedness; that is, the contextual engineering and investment that make response systems work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shona J Lee
- School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Eva Vernooij
- School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Luisa Enria
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ann H Kelly
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - James Rogers
- Laboratory Technical Working Group, Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Rashid Ansumana
- School of Community Health Sciences, Njala University, Bo, Sierra Leone
| | - Mahmood H Bangura
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Shelley Lees
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Alice Street
- School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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11
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Fehr A, Nieto-Sanchez C, Muela J, Manneh E, Baldeh D, Ceesay O, D’Alessandro U, Dabira E, Kingori P, Grietens KP, Bardají A, Bunders-Aelen J, Zuiderent-Jerak T. Doing 'reciprocity work': The role of fieldworkers in a mass drug administration trial in the Gambia. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:4116-4128. [PMID: 36183416 PMCID: PMC7614349 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2125998] [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] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In their roles as nurses, data collectors, or other, fieldworkers undertake myriad tasks working intimately with and on the bodies of others - a type of work called 'body work'. This work further includes the micro-political relations shaping these interactions, and studies have shown the importance of these relationships in the success of clinical trials, particularly in the Gambia. This study seeks to expand the concept of body work to understand the roles and interactions of fieldworkers within the trial community, and the effect on a mass drug administration (MDA) clinical trial. We conducted a mixed-methods social science study alongside the MDA in 2018-2019, including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and semi-structured observations with the population involved (and not) in the MDA, as well as the MRC fieldworkers. We found that fieldworkers participated in what we call 'reciprocity work'. Through their regular tasks and interactions, they necessarily showed respect and established trust in a way that formed and contributed to reciprocal relationships, the results of which impacted the trial and individuals' autonomy in the decision-making process. Understanding the role of fieldworkers and their reciprocity work is a vital component in comprehending how research ethics are made and conducted in global health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Fehr
- Athena Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Claudia Nieto-Sanchez
- Unit of Socio-Ecological Health Research, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Joan Muela
- Medical Anthropology Research Centre, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Ebrima Manneh
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Dullo Baldeh
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Omar Ceesay
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, Banjul, Gambia
| | | | - Edgard Dabira
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, Banjul, Gambia
| | | | - Koen Peeters Grietens
- Unit of Socio-Ecological Health Research, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Azucena Bardají
- IS Global, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
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12
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Soeters HM, Doshi RH, Fleming M, Adegoke OJ, Ajene U, Aksnes BN, Bennett S, Blau EF, Carlton JG, Clements S, Conklin L, Dahlke M, Duca LM, Feldstein LR, Gidudu JF, Grant G, Hercules M, Igboh LS, Ishizumi A, Jacenko S, Kerr Y, Konne NM, Kulkarni S, Kumar A, Lafond KE, Lam E, Longley AT, McCarron M, Namageyo-Funa A, Ortiz N, Patel JC, Perry RT, Prybylski D, Reddi P, Salman O, Sciarratta CN, Shragai T, Siddula A, Sikare E, Tchoualeu DD, Traicoff D, Tuttle A, Victory KR, Wallace A, Ward K, Wong MKA, Zhou W, Schluter WW, Fitter DL, Mounts A, Bresee JS, Hyde TB. CDC's COVID-19 International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation Program and Lessons from Earlier Vaccine Introductions. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:S208-S216. [PMID: 36502382 DOI: 10.3201/eid2813.212123] [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] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports international partners in introducing vaccines, including those against SARS-CoV-2 virus. CDC contributes to the development of global technical tools, guidance, and policy for COVID-19 vaccination and has established its COVID-19 International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation (CIVIE) program. CIVIE supports ministries of health and their partner organizations in developing or strengthening their national capacities for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of COVID-19 vaccination programs. CIVIE's 7 priority areas for country-specific technical assistance are vaccine policy development, program planning, vaccine confidence and demand, data management and use, workforce development, vaccine safety, and evaluation. We discuss CDC's work on global COVID-19 vaccine implementation, including priorities, challenges, opportunities, and applicable lessons learned from prior experiences with Ebola, influenza, and meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine introductions.
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13
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Perrone C, Schilling W, Callery JJ, Ashley EA, Chambers M, Chase H, Dahal P, Kanthawang N, Nedsuwan S, Hanboonkunupakarn B, Intralawan D, Karkey A, Mayxay M, Souvong V, Tran Minh H, Udas Shakya S, Sharma SK, Uranw S, Vannachione S, Woodrow C, White NJ, Cheah PY. Good participatory practice for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) research: the case of a COVID-19 prevention study. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 6:216. [PMID: 36866279 PMCID: PMC9971639 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16880.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The COPCOV study (chloroquine/ hydroxychloroquine prevention of coronavirus disease), which started recruitment in April 2020, is a multi-country double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial which is being conducted in healthcare facilities involved in COVID-19 case management. COPCOV aims to recruit healthcare workers and other staff employed in facilities managing people with proven or suspected COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a series of engagement sessions, each involving a short presentation of the study, a section where attendees were asked to express if they would be interested in participating in such a study and which information they would need to change their view and an open Q&A section. Answers were transcribed and coded into themes by two independent investigators. Themes were derived from the data. The aims were to assess the feasibility of the study at the respective sites, to identify context-specific ethical issues, to understand concerns potential participants might have, to fine tune research procedures and to refine COPCOV information materials. They complemented other site-specific engagement, communication and public relation activities such as press releases and websites. Results: From 16 th March 2020 to 20 th January 2021, 12 engagement sessions were conducted in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal and the UK involving 213 attendees in total. The sessions were designed to encourage potential participants and research professionals not directly involved in the project to interact with those who planned the study and those conducting it. Many attendees were keen to join the study while others had concerns. Questions raised revolved around the social value and study rationale; safety of trial medications and risk-benefit balance; study design and commitments. Conclusions: These sessions helped us refine information materials, identify misunderstandings about the study as well as complement site feasibility assessments. Our experience strongly supports the use of participatory practices prior to conducting clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Perrone
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,
| | - William Schilling
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - James J. Callery
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Elizabeth A. Ashley
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Mary Chambers
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
| | - Hannah Chase
- Medical Sciences Divisional Office, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Piyush Dahal
- KHDC Program, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | | | - Supalert Nedsuwan
- Primary Care Department, Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand
| | - Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Daranee Intralawan
- Primary Care Department, Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand
| | - Abhilasha Karkey
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU-Nepal), Patan Hospital,, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Mayfong Mayxay
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic,University of Health Sciences in Lao P.D.R., Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Vimalay Souvong
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Hien Tran Minh
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam
| | - Summita Udas Shakya
- Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU-Nepal), Patan Hospital,, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Sanjib Kumar Sharma
- Department of Internal Medicine, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Surendra Uranw
- Department of Internal Medicine, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Souphaphone Vannachione
- Lao-Oxford-Mahosot Hospital-Wellcome Trust Research Unit (LOMWRU), Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | - Charles Woodrow
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Nicholas J. White
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Phaik Yeong Cheah
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Bangkok, Thailand,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK,The Ethox Centre, University of Exford, Oxford, UK
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14
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Whitworth HS, Kitonsa J, Kasonia K, Tindanbil D, Kafeero P, Bangura J, Nije Y, Tetsa Teta D, Greenwood B, Kavunga-Membo H, Leigh B, Ruzagira E, Gallagher KE, Watson-Jones D. COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability Among Healthcare Facility Workers in Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda: A Multi-Centre Cross-Sectional Survey. Int J Public Health 2022; 67:1605113. [PMID: 36213138 PMCID: PMC9537362 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1605113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: This cross-sectional survey explored COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among public healthcare facility workers in Kambia (Sierra Leone), Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Masaka (Uganda). Methods: Questionnaire-based interviews conducted between April-October 2021 explored participants' knowledge and perceptions of, and attitudes towards, the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines, as well as COVID-19 vaccine acceptability (defined as uptake of ≥1 dose or intent to get vaccinated). Results: Whilst most (n = 444; 81.8%) of the 543 participants had one or more concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, 487 (89.7%) nonetheless perceived that they were important for pandemic control. Most participants from Kambia or Masaka either were vaccinated (n = 137/355; 38.6%) or intended to get vaccinated (n = 211/355; 59.4%) against COVID-19. In Goma, all 188 participants were unvaccinated; only 81 (43.1%) participants intended to get vaccinated, and this was associated with positive perceptions about COVID-19 vaccines. In Goma, the most common reasons for not wanting a COVID-19 vaccine were concerns that the vaccines were new (n = 75/107; 70.1%) and fear of side effects (n = 74/107; 69.2%). Conclusion: Reported COVID-19 vaccine acceptability was high among healthcare facility workers in Kambia and Masaka. The lower vaccine acceptability in Goma may highlight the importance of social mobilisation and accurate, accessible information that addresses specific concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary S. Whitworth
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Kitonsa
- Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Kambale Kasonia
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (République démocratique du Congo), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Daniel Tindanbil
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Paddy Kafeero
- Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Joseph Bangura
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Ministry of Health and Sanitation (Sierra Leone), Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Yusupha Nije
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Darius Tetsa Teta
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (République démocratique du Congo), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Brian Greenwood
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hugo Kavunga-Membo
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (République démocratique du Congo), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Bailah Leigh
- College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Eugene Ruzagira
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council (MRC)/Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) Uganda Research Unit, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Katherine E. Gallagher
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Deborah Watson-Jones
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, Mwanza, Tanzania
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15
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Dada S, De Brún A, Banda EN, Bhattacharya S, Mutunga Z, Gilmore B. A realist review protocol on communications for community engagement in maternal and newborn health programmes in low- and middle-income countries. Syst Rev 2022; 11:201. [PMID: 36096841 PMCID: PMC9465973 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-022-02061-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community engagement (CE) has been increasingly implemented across health interventions, including for maternal and newborn health (MNH). This may take various forms, from participatory women's groups and community health committees to public advocacy days. While research suggests a positive influence of CE on MNH outcomes, such as mortality or care-seeking behaviour, there is a need for further evidence on the processes of CE in different settings in order to inform the future development and implementation of CE across programmes. Communication is an integral component of CE serving as a link between the programme and community. The aim of the realist review described in this protocol is to understand how, why, to what extent, and for whom CE contributes to intended and unintended outcomes in MNH programming, focusing on the communication components of CE. METHODS Realist review methodology will be used to provide a causal understanding of what communication for CE interventions in MNH programming work, for whom, to what extent, why, and how. This will be done by developing and refining programme theories on communications for CE in MNH through a systematic review of the literature and engaging key experts for input and feedback. By extrapolating context-mechanism-outcome configurations, this review seeks to understand how certain contexts trigger or inhibit specific mechanisms and what outcomes this interaction generates when communication in CE interventions is used in MNH programming. DISCUSSION A realist philosophy is well-suited to address the aims of this study because of the complex nature of CE. The review findings will be used to inform a realist evaluation case study of CE for an MNH programme in order to ascertain transferable findings that can inform and guide engagement activities in various settings. Findings will also be shared with stakeholders and experts involved in the consultative processes of the review (through workshops or policy briefs) in order to ensure the relevance of these findings to policy and practice. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42022293564.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dada
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS Centre), School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. .,School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Aoife De Brún
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS Centre), School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Esther Namwaba Banda
- Zambia Ministry of Health, Lusaka, Zambia.,Midwives Association of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | | | | | - Brynne Gilmore
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS Centre), School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Nursing Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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16
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Leach M, MacGregor H, Akello G, Babawo L, Baluku M, Desclaux A, Grant C, Kamara F, Nyakoi M, Parker M, Richards P, Mokuwa E, Okello B, Sams K, Sow K. Vaccine anxieties, vaccine preparedness: Perspectives from Africa in a Covid-19 era. Soc Sci Med 2022; 298:114826. [PMID: 35228096 PMCID: PMC8848721 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Global debates about vaccines as a key element of pandemic response and future preparedness in the era of Covid-19 currently focus on questions of supply, with attention to global injustice in vaccine distribution and African countries as rightful beneficiaries of international de-regulation and financing initiatives such as COVAX. At the same time, vaccine demand and uptake are seen to be threatened by hesitancy, often attributed to an increasingly globalised anti-vaxx movement and its propagation of misinformation and conspiracy, now reaching African populations through a social media 'infodemic'. Underplayed in these debates are the socio-political contexts through which vaccine technologies enter and are interpreted within African settings, and the crucial intersections between supply and demand. We explore these through a 'vaccine anxieties' framework attending to both desires for and worries about vaccines, as shaped by bodily, societal and wider political understandings and experiences. This provides an analytical lens to organise and interpret ethnographic and narrative accounts in local and national settings in Uganda and Sierra Leone, and their (dis)connections with global debates and geopolitics. In considering the socially-embedded reasons why people want or do not want Covid-19 vaccines, and how this intersects with the dynamics of vaccine supply, access and distribution in rapidly-unfolding epidemic situations, we bring new, expanded insights into debates about vaccine confidence and vaccine preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Leach
- Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RE, UK.
| | - Hayley MacGregor
- Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RE, UK
| | - Grace Akello
- Gulu University, Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu, Uganda
| | | | - Moses Baluku
- Gulu University, Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Alice Desclaux
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France and Dakar, Senegal
| | - Catherine Grant
- Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9RE, UK
| | - Foday Kamara
- Njala University, Njala Campus, Bo, Sierra Leone
| | | | - Melissa Parker
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Keppel St, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | | | | | - Bob Okello
- Gulu University, Pece-Laroo Division, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Kelley Sams
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France and Dakar, Senegal
| | - Khoudia Sow
- Centre Régional de Recherche et de Formation à la prise en charge de Fann (CRCF), Dakar, Senegal
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17
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Kulkarni S, Sengeh P, Eboh V, Jalloh MB, Conteh L, Sesay T, Ibrahim N, Manneh PO, Kaiser R, Jinnai Y, Wallace AS, Prybylski D, Jalloh MF. Role of Information Sources in Vaccination Uptake: Insights From a Cross-Sectional Household Survey in Sierra Leone, 2019. GLOBAL HEALTH: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022; 10:GHSP-D-21-00237. [PMID: 35294376 PMCID: PMC8885335 DOI: 10.9745/ghsp-d-21-00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Our findings suggest that health workers and faith leaders are important sources of information to deliver vaccination messages, given their strong association with vaccination confidence and uptake. In this context, vaccination promotion efforts that integrate faith leaders and health workers may help increase vaccination uptake. Introduction: There is limited understanding of the potential impact of information sources on vaccination attitudes and behaviors in low-income countries. We examined how exposure to immunization information sources may be associated with vaccination uptake in Sierra Leone. Methods: In 2019, a household survey was conducted using multistage cluster sampling to randomly select 621 caregivers of children aged 12–23 months in 4 districts in Sierra Leone. We measured exposure to various sources of immunization information and 2 outcomes: (1) vaccination confidence using an aggregate score (from 12 Likert items, informed by previously validated scale) that was dichotomized into a binary variable; (2) uptake of the third dose of diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus-hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenzae type-b-pentavalent vaccine (penta-3) based on card record or through caregiver recall when card was unavailable. Associations between information sources and the outcomes were examined using modified Poisson regression with robust variance estimator. Results: Weighted estimate for penta-3 uptake was 81% (75.2%–85.5%). The likelihood of uptake of penta-3 was significantly greater when caregiver received information from health facilities (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]=1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.1, 1.5), faith leaders (aPR=1.16, 95% CI=1.1, 1.3), and community health workers (aPR=1.13, 95% CI=1.003, 1.3). Exposure to greater number of information sources was associated with high penta-3 uptake (aPR=1.05, 95% CI=1.02, 1.1). Discussion: Immunization information received during health facility visits and through engagement with religious leaders may enhance vaccination uptake. Assessments to understand context-specific information dynamics should be prioritized in optimizing immunization outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibani Kulkarni
- Global Immunization Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | | | - Victor Eboh
- Global Immunization Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Lansana Conteh
- Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Tom Sesay
- Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | | | | | - Reinhard Kaiser
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Yuka Jinnai
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Aaron S Wallace
- Global Immunization Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dimitri Prybylski
- Global Immunization Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mohamed F Jalloh
- Global Immunization Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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18
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Majid U, Wasim A, Truong J, Bakshi S. Public trust in governments, health care providers, and the media during pandemics: A systematic review. JOURNAL OF TRUST RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/21515581.2022.2029742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Umair Majid
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Aghna Wasim
- Psychology Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Judy Truong
- Research & Development, MaRS Discovery Distrust, Toronto, Canada
| | - Simran Bakshi
- Science Program, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
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Dada S, Tunçalp Ö, Portela A, Barreix M, Gilmore B. Community mobilization to strengthen support for appropriate and timely use of antenatal and postnatal care: A review of reviews. J Glob Health 2022; 11:04076. [PMID: 35003714 PMCID: PMC8710228 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.11.04076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) are critical opportunities for women, babies and parents/families to receive quality care and support from health services. Community-based interventions may improve the accessibility, availability, and acceptance of this vital care. For example, community mobilization strategies have been used to involve and collaborate with women, families and communities to improve maternal and newborn health. Objective To synthesize existing reviews of evidence on community mobilization strategies that strengthen support for appropriate and timely use of ANC and PNC. Methods Six databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO) were searched for published reviews that describe community mobilization related strategies for ANC and/or PNC. Reviews were eligible for inclusion if they described any initiatives or strategies targeting the promotion of ANC and/or PNC uptake that included an element of community mobilization in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC), published after 2000. Included reviews were critically appraised according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Evidence Syntheses. This review of reviews was conducted following JBI guidelines for undertaking and reporting umbrella reviews. Results In total 23 papers, representing 22 reviews were included. While all 22 reviews contained some description of community mobilization and ANC/PNC, 13 presented more in-depth details on the community mobilization processes and relevant outcomes. Seventeen reviews focused on ANC, four considered both ANC and PNC, and only one focused on PNC. Overall, 16 reviews reported at least one positive association between community mobilization activities and ANC/PNC uptake, while five reviews presented primary studies with no statistically significant change in ANC uptake and one included a primary study with a decrease in use of antenatal facilities. The community mobilization activities described by the reviews ranged from informative, passive communication to more active, participatory approaches that included engaging individuals or consulting local leaders and community members to develop priorities and action plans. Conclusions While there is considerable momentum around incorporating community mobilization activities in maternal and newborn health programs, such as improving community support for the uptake of ANC and PNC, there is limited evidence on the processes used. Furthermore, the spectrum of terminology and variation in definitions should be harmonized to guide the implementation and evaluation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Dada
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Özge Tunçalp
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anayda Portela
- Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - María Barreix
- UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Brynne Gilmore
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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20
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Matandika L, Millar K, Umar E, Joy E, Chiutsi-Phiri G, Mfutso-Bengo J. Examining study participants' decision-making and ethics-related experiences in a dietary community randomized controlled trial in Malawi. BMC Med Ethics 2021; 22:160. [PMID: 34861869 PMCID: PMC8642889 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-021-00729-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The participant recruitment process is a key ethical pivot point when conducting robust research. There is a need to continuously review and improve recruitment processes in research trials and to build fair and effective partnerships between researchers and participants as an important core element in ensuring the ethical delivery of high-quality research. When participants make a fair, informed, and voluntary decision to enroll in a study, they agree to fulfill their roles. However, supporting study participants to fulfill study requirements is an important ethical obligation for researchers, yet evidenced as challenging to achieve. This paper reports on participants' motivations to volunteer and remain part of a dietary study conducted in Kasungu District, Malawi. METHODS We conducted twenty in-depth interviews (with chiefs, religious leaders, trial participants, and health surveillance assistants), five systematic ethnographic observations, and fourteen focus group discussions with trial participants and their partners. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used a grounded theory methodology to analyse data that included coding, detailed memo writing, and data interpretation. FINDINGS The findings reveal that many participants had concerns during the trial. Thematically, experiences included anxieties, mistrust of researchers, rumours, fears of exploitation, and misconceptions. Anonymous concerns collected from the participants were reported to the trial team which enabled the researchers to appropriately support participants. Despite initial concerns, participants described being supported and expressed motivation to take up their role. CONCLUSION These findings highlight a diverse map of multiple notions of what is ethically relevant and what can impact participation and retention within a study. The study has revealed how embedding a responsive approach to address participants' concerns and ethical issues can support trust relationships. We argue for the need to employ embedded ethics strategies that enhance informed consent, focus on participants' needs and positive experiences, and support researchers to fulfill their roles. This work highlights the need for research ethics committees to focus on the risks of undue influence and prevent exploitation especially in settings with a high asymmetry in resources and power between researcher and participant groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION The Addressing Hidden Hunger with Agronomy (Malawi) trial was registered on 5th March 2019 (ISCRTN85899451).
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Affiliation(s)
- Limbanazo Matandika
- Center for Bioethics in Eastern and Southern Africa, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Private Bag 360, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Kate Millar
- Centre for Applied Bioethics, Schools of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, LE12 5RD UK
| | - Eric Umar
- Health Systems and Policy Department, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Private Bag 360, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Edward Joy
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT UK
| | - Gabriella Chiutsi-Phiri
- Faculty of Life Science and Natural Resources, Natural Resources College, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P.O Box 143, Lilongwe, Malawi
| | - Joseph Mfutso-Bengo
- Center for Bioethics in Eastern and Southern Africa, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Private Bag 360, Blantyre, Malawi
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21
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Scholz J, Wetzker W, Licht A, Heintzmann R, Scherag A, Weis S, Pletz M, Betsch C, Bauer M, Dickmann P. The role of risk communication in public health interventions. An analysis of risk communication for a community quarantine in Germany to curb the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256113. [PMID: 34388211 PMCID: PMC8362954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Separating ill or possibly infectious people from their healthy community is one of the core principles of non-pharmaceutical interventions. However, there is scarce evidence on how to successfully implement quarantine orders. We investigated a community quarantine for an entire village in Germany (Neustadt am Rennsteig, March 2020) with the aim of better understanding the successful implementation of quarantine measures. METHODS This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Neustadt am Rennsteig six weeks after the end of a 14-day mandatory community quarantine. The sample size consisted of 562 adults (64% of the community), and the response rate was 295 adults, or 52% (33% of the community). FINDINGS National television was reported as the most important channel of information. Contact with local authorities was very limited, and partners or spouses played a more important role in sharing information. Generally, the self-reported information level was judged to be good (211/289 [73.0%]). The majority of participants (212/289 [73.4%]) approved of the quarantine, and the reported compliance was 217/289 (75.1%). A self-reported higher level of concern as well as a higher level of information correlated positively with both a greater acceptance of quarantine and self-reported compliant behaviour. INTERPRETATION The community quarantine presented a rare opportunity to investigate a public health intervention for an entire community. In order to improve the implementation of public health interventions, public health risk communication activities should be intensified to increase both the information level (potentially leading to better compliance with community quarantine) and the communication level (to facilitate rapport and trust between public health authorities and their communities).
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Scholz
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Wibke Wetzker
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Annika Licht
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Rainer Heintzmann
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - André Scherag
- Institute of Medical Statistics, Computer and Data Sciences, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Sebastian Weis
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Mathias Pletz
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Cornelia Betsch
- Media and Communication Science, University of Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany
| | - Michael Bauer
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Petra Dickmann
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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22
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Kant R, Yadav P, Singh M, Meena MK. Challenges with the proposed approach in enhancing the accessibility of antimalarial activities during COVID 19 pandemic. J Infect Public Health 2021; 14:1089-1094. [PMID: 34252846 PMCID: PMC8257400 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2021.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID 19 has hardly left any part of the world untouched. Two hundred thirteen countries have been affected by this disease, with 17,208,324 cases and 670,626 deaths as of July 30, 2020. If we look at the death toll caused by Malaria, this year, it is closely nearing COVID 19 deaths, 5, 68,700 deaths. Malaria mostly occurs in poor, tropical, and subtropical regions across the globe. In 2018, Malaria was most rampant in Africa, followed by Southeast Asian Regions (SEAR). SEAR is at the greatest risk of both COVID 19 and malaria. Strategies for essential commodities and antimalarial activities are affected by COVID 19 when the rainy season registers the maximum malaria load. We searched the literature to explore the evidence regarding efficacious antimalarial activities and the gap created by the COVID 19 pandemic, responsible barriers, and challenges, with the possible approaches towards accomplishing a target for malaria control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Kant
- Department of Medicine, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India.
| | - Poonam Yadav
- Centre of Excellence in Nursing Education and Research, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India.
| | - Mahendra Singh
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS, Rishikesh, India.
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23
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Riha J, Abreu Lopes C, Ibrahim NA, Srinivasan S. Media and Digital Technologies for Mixed Methods Research in Public Health Emergencies Such as COVID-19: Lessons Learned From Using Interactive Radio-SMS for Social Research in Somalia. JOURNAL OF MIXED METHODS RESEARCH 2021; 15:304-326. [PMID: 34366731 PMCID: PMC8311909 DOI: 10.1177/1558689820986748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Radio shows which invite audience participation via short message service (SMS)-interactive radio-SMS-can be designed as a mixed methods approach for applied social research during COVID-19 and other crises in low and middle income countries. In the aftermath of a cholera outbreak in Somalia, we illustrate how this method provides social insights that would have been missed if a purely qualitative or quantitative approach were used. We then examine the strengths and limitations associated with interactive radio-SMS through an evaluation using a multimethod comparison. Our research contributes an application of a mixed methods approach which addresses a specific challenge raised by COVID-19, namely utilizing media and digital technologies for social research in low and middle income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sharath Srinivasan
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Africa’s Voices Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
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24
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Earle-Richardson G, Erlach E, Walz V, Baggio O, Kurnit M, Camara CA, Craig C, Dios LR, Yee D, Soke GN, Voahary I, Prue CE. New Mixed Methods Approach for Monitoring Community Perceptions of Ebola and Response Efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. GLOBAL HEALTH: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021; 9:332-343. [PMID: 34234025 PMCID: PMC8324202 DOI: 10.9745/ghsp-d-21-00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The Red Cross community feedback system enabled rapid collection and analysis of extensive verbal feedback during an Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC. Using this information, Ebola response leaders adapted strategies to address community concerns. In an epidemic, community feedback is critical to ensure that response strategies are accepted and appropriate. Background: Efforts to contain the spread of Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the 2018–2020 epidemic faced challenges in gaining community trust and participation. This affected implementation of community alerts, early isolation, contact tracing, vaccination, and safe and dignified burials. To quickly understand community perspectives and improve community engagement, collaborators from the DRC Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explored a new method of collecting, coding, and quickly analyzing community feedback. Methods: Over 800 DRC Red Cross local volunteers recorded unstructured, free-text questions and comments from community members during community Ebola awareness activities. Comments were coded and analyzed using a text-coding system developed by the collaborators. Coded comments were then aggregated and qualitatively grouped into major themes, and time trends were examined. Results: Communities reported a lack of information about the outbreak and the response, as well as concerns about the Ebola vaccination program and health care quality. Some doubted that Ebola was real. The response used the feedback to revise some community engagement approaches. For example, 2 procedural changes that were followed by drops in negative community responses were: using transparent body bags, which allayed fears that bodies or organs were being stolen, and widening the eligibility criteria for Ebola vaccination, which addressed concerns that selectively vaccinating individuals within Ebola-affected communities was unfair. Discussion: This system is unique in that unstructured feedback collected by local volunteers in the course of their work was rapidly coded, analyzed, and given to health authorities for use in making course corrections throughout the response. It provides a platform for local voices to be heard throughout an emergency response and provides a mechanism for assessing the effects of program adjustments on community sentiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eva Erlach
- International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vivienne Walz
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ombretta Baggio
- International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Molly Kurnit
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Christina Craig
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lucia Robles Dios
- International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daiva Yee
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Ialijaona Voahary
- International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, Switzerland
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25
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Echoru I, Ajambo PD, Keirania E, Bukenya EEM. Sociodemographic factors associated with acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and clinical trials in Uganda: a cross-sectional study in western Uganda. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1106. [PMID: 34112143 PMCID: PMC8190743 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11197-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health experts agree that widespread use of safe and effective vaccines will rapidly contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The big question is whether these vaccines can easily be accepted by their end-users. Our study aimed at determining sociodemographic factors associated with acceptance of vaccines and clinical trials of COVID-19 in western Uganda. METHOD A simplified snowball sampling technique was used to select 1067 respondents of 18-70 years in western Uganda using an online questionnaire from July to September 2020. Vaccine acceptability and risk perception were assessed using odds ratio at 95% confidence interval in R software version 3.6.3. RESULTS There were 1067 participants in the study. The majority were males (73.2%) and age group 31-40 years (32.6%). The acceptance rate for COVID-19 vaccination was (53.6%; 572/1067) with those aged 18-20 years, males, elites at tertiary level of education (degree or diploma), students, Muslims, married, non-salary earners and rural dwellers having better odds and likeliness to accept vaccination. Only 44.6% (476/1067) showed interest in clinical trials among which; males, primary school leavers, students, Christians, un-married, respondents who didn't earn any salary and rural dwellers had better odds and likelihood to participate in clinical trials. CONCLUSION There was a low level of vaccine acceptance and clinical trial interest in western Uganda. Minority groups in the study i.e., Muslims, students, primary school leavers, un-married rural dwellers among others showed more interest in vaccination and clinical trials. We anticipated fears in the larger part of this community that health experts need to address through reassurance of the community that vaccines are tested and that they are safe and important if we are to rapidly contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Echoru
- School of Medicine, Kabale University, Kabale, Uganda.
| | - Patricia Decanar Ajambo
- Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry, Kampala International University, western Campus, Ishaka-Bushenyi, Uganda
| | - Emmanuel Keirania
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Kampala International University, western Campus, Ishaka-Bushenyi, Uganda
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda
| | - Edmund E M Bukenya
- School of Medicine, Kabale University, Kabale, Uganda
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Kampala International University, western Campus, Ishaka-Bushenyi, Uganda
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Mc Kenna P, Masyn S, Willems A, De Paepe A, Rutten R, Mazarati JB, Sayinzoga F, Karita E, Nduwamungu JN, Mazzei A, Nyombayire J, Ingabire R, Amponsah M, Egoeh SG, Ezeanochie N. Leapfrogging with technology: introduction of a monitoring platform to support a large-scale Ebola vaccination program in Rwanda. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2021; 17:3192-3202. [PMID: 34077301 PMCID: PMC8381799 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2021.1920872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Continued outbreaks of Ebola virus disease, including recent outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), highlight the need for effective vaccine programs to combat future outbreaks. Given the population flow between DRC and Rwanda, the Rwanda Ministry of Health initiated a preventive vaccination campaign supported by a vaccination monitoring platform (VMP). The campaign aimed to vaccinate approximately 200,000 people from Rwanda’s Rubavu and Rusizi districts with the two-dose vaccine regimen Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo. The VMP encompassed: biometric identification (iris scanning), mobile messaging, and an interactive reporting dashboard. The VMP collected data used to register and identify participants at subsequent visits. Mobile message reminders supported compliance. To 13 November 2020, the campaign was half complete with Ad26.ZEBOV administered to 116,974 participants and MVA-BN-Filo to 76,464. MVA-BN-Filo should be given to participants approximately 8 weeks after the Ad26.ZEBOV with a compliance window of −14 and +28 days. Of the 83,850 participants who were eligible per this dosing window for the subsequent MVA-BN-Filo vaccine, 91.2% (76,453/83,850) received it and 82.9% (69,505/83,850) received it within the compliance window defined for this campaign. Utilization of the VMP was instrumental to the success of the campaign, using biometric technology, dashboard reporting of near real-time data analysis and mobile phone communication technology to support vaccine administration and monitoring. A comprehensive VMP is feasible in large-scale health-care campaigns, beneficial for public health surveillance, and can allow effective response to an infectious disease outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Mc Kenna
- Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Serge Masyn
- Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Annik Willems
- Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Anne De Paepe
- Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Romain Rutten
- Johnson & Johnson Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | | | - Felix Sayinzoga
- Maternal, Child and Community Health Division, Rwanda Biomedical Center, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Etienne Karita
- Project San Francisco/Center for Family Health Research, Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Jean Nepo Nduwamungu
- Project San Francisco/Center for Family Health Research, Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Amelia Mazzei
- Project San Francisco/Center for Family Health Research, Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Julien Nyombayire
- Project San Francisco/Center for Family Health Research, Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Rosine Ingabire
- Project San Francisco/Center for Family Health Research, Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Emory University, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | | | - Nnamdi Ezeanochie
- Johnson and Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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27
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Mayhew SH, Kyamusugulwa PM, Kihangi Bindu K, Richards P, Kiyungu C, Balabanova D. Responding to the 2018-2020 Ebola Virus Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Rethinking Humanitarian Approaches. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2021; 14:1731-1747. [PMID: 33953623 PMCID: PMC8092619 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s219295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) presents a challenging context in which to respond to public health crises. Its 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak was the second largest in history. Lessons were known from the previous West African outbreak. Chief among these was the recognition that local action and involvement are key to establishing effective epidemic-response. It remains unclear whether and how this was achieved in DRC's Ebola response. Additionally, there is a lack of scholarship on how to build resilience (the ability to adapt or transform under pressure) in crisis-response. In this article, we critically review literature to examine evidence on whether and how communities were involved, trust built, and resilience strengthened through adaptation or transformation of DRC's 2018-2020 Ebola response measures. Overall, we found limited evidence that the response adapted to engage and involve local actors and institutions or respond to locally expressed concerns. When adaptations occurred, they were shaped by national and international actors rather than enabling local actors to develop locally trusted initiatives. Communities were "engaged" to understand their perceptions but were not involved in decision-making or shaping responses. Few studies documented how trust was built or analyzed power dynamics between different groups in DRC. Yet, both these elements appear to be critical in building effective, resilient responses. These failures occurred because there was no willingness by the national government or international agencies to concede decision-making power to local people. Emergency humanitarian response is entrenched in highly medicalized, military style command and control approaches which have no space for decentralizing decision-making to "non-experts". To transform humanitarian responses, international responders can no longer be regarded as "experts" who own the knowledge and control the response. To successfully tackle future humanitarian crises requires a transformation of international humanitarian and emergency response systems such that they are led, or shaped, through inclusive, equitable collaboration with local actors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susannah H Mayhew
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Patrick Milabyo Kyamusugulwa
- Bukavu Medical University College/Institut Supérieur des Techniques Médicales de Bukavu (ISTM-Bukavu), Bukavu, Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Kennedy Kihangi Bindu
- Centre de Recherche sur la Démocratie et le Développement en Afrique (CREDDA), Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs, Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Paul Richards
- School of Environmental Sciences, Njala University, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Cyrille Kiyungu
- Hygiene, State Administration, Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Dina Balabanova
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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28
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Skjefte M, Ngirbabul M, Akeju O, Escudero D, Hernandez-Diaz S, Wyszynski DF, Wu JW. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among pregnant women and mothers of young children: results of a survey in 16 countries. Eur J Epidemiol 2021; 36:197-211. [PMID: 33649879 PMCID: PMC7920402 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-021-00728-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 300] [Impact Index Per Article: 100.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
With the development of multiple effective vaccines, reducing the global morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 will depend on the distribution and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination. Estimates of global vaccine acceptance among pregnant women and mothers of young children are yet unknown. An understanding of the challenges and correlates to vaccine acceptance will aid the acceleration of vaccine administration within these populations. Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women and mothers of children younger than 18-years-old, as well as potential predictors, were assessed through an online survey, administered by Pregistry between October 28 and November 18, 2020. 17,871 total survey responses from 16 countries were obtained. Given a 90% COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, 52.0% of pregnant women (n = 2747/5282) and 73.4% of non-pregnant women (n = 9214/12,562) indicated an intention to receive the vaccine. 69.2% of women (n = 11,800/17,054), both pregnant and non-pregnant, indicated an intention to vaccinate their children. Vaccine acceptance was generally highest in India, the Philippines, and all sampled countries in Latin America; it was lowest in Russia, the United States and Australia. The strongest predictors of vaccine acceptance included confidence in vaccine safety or effectiveness, worrying about COVID-19, belief in the importance of vaccines to their own country, compliance to mask guidelines, trust of public health agencies/health science, as well as attitudes towards routine vaccines. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its predictors among women vary globally. Vaccination campaigns for women and children should be specific for each country in order to attain the largest impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malia Skjefte
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle Ngirbabul
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Oluwasefunmi Akeju
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Escudero
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sonia Hernandez-Diaz
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Julia W Wu
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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Gilmore B, Ndejjo R, Tchetchia A, de Claro V, Mago E, Diallo AA, Lopes C, Bhattacharyya S. Community engagement for COVID-19 prevention and control: a rapid evidence synthesis. BMJ Glob Health 2020. [PMID: 33051285 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh‐2020‐003188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Community engagement has been considered a fundamental component of past outbreaks, such as Ebola. However, there is concern over the lack of involvement of communities and 'bottom-up' approaches used within COVID-19 responses thus far. Identifying how community engagement approaches have been used in past epidemics may support more robust implementation within the COVID-19 response. METHODOLOGY A rapid evidence review was conducted to identify how community engagement is used for infectious disease prevention and control during epidemics. Three databases were searched in addition to extensive snowballing for grey literature. Previous epidemics were limited to Ebola, Zika, SARS, Middle East respiratory syndromeand H1N1 since 2000. No restrictions were applied to study design or language. RESULTS From 1112 references identified, 32 articles met our inclusion criteria, which detail 37 initiatives. Six main community engagement actors were identified: local leaders, community and faith-based organisations, community groups, health facility committees, individuals and key stakeholders. These worked on different functions: designing and planning, community entry and trust building, social and behaviour change communication, risk communication, surveillance and tracing, and logistics and administration. CONCLUSION COVID-19's global presence and social transmission pathways require social and community responses. This may be particularly important to reach marginalised populations and to support equity-informed responses. Aligning previous community engagement experience with current COVID-19 community-based strategy recommendations highlights how communities can play important and active roles in prevention and control. Countries worldwide are encouraged to assess existing community engagement structures and use community engagement approaches to support contextually specific, acceptable and appropriate COVID-19 prevention and control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brynne Gilmore
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS), School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rawlance Ndejjo
- Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Adalbert Tchetchia
- Expanded Programme on Immunization, Ministry of Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Elizabeth Mago
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alpha A Diallo
- République de Guinée Ministère de Santé, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Claudia Lopes
- United Nations University International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sanghita Bhattacharyya
- Public Health Foundation of India, Haryana, India.,Community Health-Community of Practice Collectivity, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Headquarters, New York City, New York, USA
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30
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Gilmore B, Ndejjo R, Tchetchia A, de Claro V, Mago E, Diallo AA, Lopes C, Bhattacharyya S. Community engagement for COVID-19 prevention and control: a rapid evidence synthesis. BMJ Glob Health 2020; 5:e003188. [PMID: 33051285 PMCID: PMC7554411 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Community engagement has been considered a fundamental component of past outbreaks, such as Ebola. However, there is concern over the lack of involvement of communities and 'bottom-up' approaches used within COVID-19 responses thus far. Identifying how community engagement approaches have been used in past epidemics may support more robust implementation within the COVID-19 response. METHODOLOGY A rapid evidence review was conducted to identify how community engagement is used for infectious disease prevention and control during epidemics. Three databases were searched in addition to extensive snowballing for grey literature. Previous epidemics were limited to Ebola, Zika, SARS, Middle East respiratory syndromeand H1N1 since 2000. No restrictions were applied to study design or language. RESULTS From 1112 references identified, 32 articles met our inclusion criteria, which detail 37 initiatives. Six main community engagement actors were identified: local leaders, community and faith-based organisations, community groups, health facility committees, individuals and key stakeholders. These worked on different functions: designing and planning, community entry and trust building, social and behaviour change communication, risk communication, surveillance and tracing, and logistics and administration. CONCLUSION COVID-19's global presence and social transmission pathways require social and community responses. This may be particularly important to reach marginalised populations and to support equity-informed responses. Aligning previous community engagement experience with current COVID-19 community-based strategy recommendations highlights how communities can play important and active roles in prevention and control. Countries worldwide are encouraged to assess existing community engagement structures and use community engagement approaches to support contextually specific, acceptable and appropriate COVID-19 prevention and control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brynne Gilmore
- UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems (UCD IRIS), School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rawlance Ndejjo
- Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Adalbert Tchetchia
- Expanded Programme on Immunization, Ministry of Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | | | - Elizabeth Mago
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alpha A Diallo
- République de Guinée Ministère de Santé, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Claudia Lopes
- United Nations University International Institute for Global Health, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Sanghita Bhattacharyya
- Public Health Foundation of India, Haryana, India
- Community Health-Community of Practice Collectivity, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Headquarters, New York City, New York, USA
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31
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Grady C, Shah S, Miller F, Danis M, Nicolini M, Ochoa J, Taylor H, Wendler D, Rid A. So much at stake: Ethical tradeoffs in accelerating SARSCoV-2 vaccine development. Vaccine 2020; 38:6381-6387. [PMID: 32826103 PMCID: PMC7418641 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A sense of urgency exists to develop vaccines against SARS CoV-2, responsible for numerous global cases and deaths, as well as widespread social and economic disruption. Multiple approaches have been proposed to speed up vaccine development, including accelerated randomized controlled trials (RCT), controlled human challenge trials (CHI), and wide distribution through an emergency use authorization after collecting initial data. There is a need to examine how best to accelerate vaccine development in the setting of a pandemic, without compromising ethical and scientific norms. METHODS Trade-offs in scientific and social value between generating reliable evidence about safety and efficacy while promoting rapid vaccine availability are examined along five ethically relevant dimensions: (1) confidence in and generalizability of data, (2) feasibility, (3) speed and cost, (4) participant risks, and (5) social risks. RESULTS Accelerated individually randomized RCTs permit expeditious evaluation of vaccine candidates using established methods, expertise, and infrastructure. RCTs are more likely than other approaches to be feasible, increase speed and reduce cost, and generate reliable data about safety and efficacy without significantly increasing risks to participants or undermining societal trust. CONCLUSION Ethical analysis suggests that accelerated RCTs are the best approach to accelerating vaccine development in a pandemic, and more likely than other approaches to enhance social value without compromising ethics or science. RCTs can expeditiously collect rigorous data about vaccine safety and efficacy. Innovative and flexible designs and implementation strategies to respond to shifting incidence and test vaccine candidates in parallel or sequentially would add value, as will coordinated data sharing across vaccine trials. CHI studies may be an important complementary strategy when more is known. Widely disseminating a vaccine candidate without efficacy data will not serve the public health nor achieve the goal of identifying safe and effective SARS Co-V-2 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Grady
- Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Building 10/1C118, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Seema Shah
- Lurie Children's Hospital, Northwestern University, Department of Pediatrics, 225 E. Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States.
| | - Franklin Miller
- Weill Cornell Medical College, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, United States.
| | - Marion Danis
- Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Building 10/1C118, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Marie Nicolini
- Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Building 10/1C118, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Jorge Ochoa
- Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Building 10/1C118, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Holly Taylor
- Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Building 10/1C118, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Dave Wendler
- Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Building 10/1C118, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Annette Rid
- Department of Bioethics, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Building 10/1C118, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
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The Importance of Developing Rigorous Social Science Methods for Community Engagement and Behavior Change During Outbreak Response. Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2020; 15:685-690. [PMID: 32641188 DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2020.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite growing international attention, the anthropological and socio-behavioral elements of epidemics continue to be understudied and under resourced and lag behind the traditional outbreak response infrastructure. As seen in the current 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the importance of socio-behavioral elements in understanding transmission and facilitating control of many outbreak-prone pathogens, this is problematic. Beyond the recent strengthening of global outbreak response capacities and global health security measures, a greater focus on the socio-behavioral components of outbreak response is required. We add to the current discussion by briefly highlighting the importance of socio-behavior in the Ebola virus disease (EVD) response, and describe vital areas of future development, including methods for community engagement and validated frameworks for behavioral modeling and change in outbreak settings.
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