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Dhaliwal BK, Weeks R, Huber J, Fofana A, Bobe M, Mbailamen AD, Legge G, Cisse G, Shet A. Introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in humanitarian and fragile contexts: Perspectives from stakeholders in four African countries. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2314828. [PMID: 38439691 PMCID: PMC10936592 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2314828] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Childhood pneumonia causes a significant burden of preventable child morbidity and mortality in Chad, Guinea, Somalia/Somaliland, and South Sudan. Leaders from these countries have committed to reducing this burden and are preparing to introduce the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into their immunization programs. To support long-term sustainability for expected PCV introductions in settings afflicted by prolonged humanitarian crises this research explores national stakeholders' perspectives on contextual factors that may influence optimal vaccine implementation. This qualitative study used purposive sampling to identify and interview stakeholders involved in vaccine decision-making. Interview transcripts were analyzed through the framework method, an approach involving charting data into pre-populated matrices. Findings from interviews with 16 key informants from government, partner organizations, and international health agencies fit within the following four overarching themes: (1) population-level vulnerabilities to pneumonia, exacerbated by climatic risks and low levels of maternal education; (2) disease burden and the interest in enhancing surveillance to monitor vaccine impact and integrate disease control efforts; (3) policy processes, including formalizing vaccine decision-making; and (4) vaccine implementation preparation, including the conduct of robust communication campaigns, training, and cold chain upgrades. This research explores perspectives from leaders in these countries which are at pivotal moments in their journeys toward introducing PCV. Widespread commitment among leaders, in addition to financial support, will facilitate vaccine introduction. Further, fostering a shared understanding among partners about context-specific determinants of program success will help build tailored implementation strategies for each country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baldeep K. Dhaliwal
- International Vaccine Access Center, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rose Weeks
- International Vaccine Access Center, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jasmine Huber
- International Vaccine Access Center, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aminata Fofana
- International Vaccine Access Center, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mohamed Bobe
- Somalia/Somaliland Country Office, Save the Children, Mogadishu, Somalia
| | | | - George Legge
- Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), National Ministry of Health, Juba, Republic of South Sudan
- Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, Conakry, Republic of Guinea
| | - Gassim Cisse
- Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, Conakry, Republic of Guinea
| | - Anita Shet
- International Vaccine Access Center, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Bile AS, Ali-Salad MA, Mahmoud AJ, Singh NS, Abdelmagid N, Sabahelzain MM, Checchi F, Mounier-Jack S, Nor B. Assessing Vaccination Delivery Strategies for Zero-Dose and Under-Immunized Children in the Fragile Context of Somalia. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:154. [PMID: 38400137 PMCID: PMC10892412 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12020154] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Somalia is one of 20 countries in the world with the highest numbers of zero-dose children. This study aims to identify who and where zero-dose and under-vaccinated children are and what the existing vaccine delivery strategies to reach zero-dose children in Somalia are. This qualitative study was conducted in three geographically diverse regions of Somalia (rural/remote, nomadic/pastoralists, IDPs, and urban poor population), with government officials and NGO staff (n = 17), and with vaccinators and community members (n = 52). The data were analyzed using the GAVI Vaccine Alliance IRMMA framework. Nomadic populations, internally displaced persons, and populations living in remote and Al-shabaab-controlled areas are three vulnerable and neglected populations with a high proportion of zero-dose children. Despite the contextual heterogeneity of these population groups, the lack of targeted, population-specific strategies and meaningful engagement of local communities in the planning and implementation of immunization services is problematic in effectively reaching zero-dose children. This is, to our knowledge, the first study that examines vaccination strategies for zero-dose and under-vaccinated populations in the fragile context of Somalia. Evidence on populations at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases and barriers to vital vaccination services remain critical and urgent, especially in a country like Somalia with complex health system challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Said Bile
- Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis (SIDRA), Garowe, Puntland State, Somalia; (M.A.A.-S.); (A.J.M.)
| | - Mohamed A. Ali-Salad
- Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis (SIDRA), Garowe, Puntland State, Somalia; (M.A.A.-S.); (A.J.M.)
| | - Amina J. Mahmoud
- Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis (SIDRA), Garowe, Puntland State, Somalia; (M.A.A.-S.); (A.J.M.)
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, 753 10 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Neha S. Singh
- Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (N.S.S.); (N.A.); (F.C.)
- Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Nada Abdelmagid
- Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (N.S.S.); (N.A.); (F.C.)
- Health in Humanitarian Crises Centre, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Majdi M. Sabahelzain
- School of Health Sciences, Ahfad University for Women (AUW), Omdurman P.O. Box 167, Sudan;
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Francesco Checchi
- Department of Global Health and Development, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK; (N.S.S.); (N.A.); (F.C.)
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
| | - Sandra Mounier-Jack
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and International Health, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
| | - Barni Nor
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, 753 10 Uppsala, Sweden;
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Chitre SD, Crews CM, Tessema MT, Plėštytė-Būtienė I, Coffee M, Richardson ET. The impact of anthropogenic climate change on pediatric viral diseases. Pediatr Res 2024; 95:496-507. [PMID: 38057578 PMCID: PMC10872406 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02929-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The adverse effects of climate change on human health are unfolding in real time. Environmental fragmentation is amplifying spillover of viruses from wildlife to humans. Increasing temperatures are expanding mosquito and tick habitats, introducing vector-borne viruses into immunologically susceptible populations. More frequent flooding is spreading water-borne viral pathogens, while prolonged droughts reduce regional capacity to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks with adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene resources. Worsening air quality and altered transmission seasons due to an increasingly volatile climate may exacerbate the impacts of respiratory viruses. Furthermore, both extreme weather events and long-term climate variation are causing the destruction of health systems and large-scale migrations, reshaping health care delivery in the face of an evolving global burden of viral disease. Because of their immunological immaturity, differences in physiology (e.g., size), dependence on caregivers, and behavioral traits, children are particularly vulnerable to climate change. This investigation into the unique pediatric viral threats posed by an increasingly inhospitable world elucidates potential avenues of targeted programming and uncovers future research questions to effect equitable, actionable change. IMPACT: A review of the effects of climate change on viral threats to pediatric health, including zoonotic, vector-borne, water-borne, and respiratory viruses, as well as distal threats related to climate-induced migration and health systems. A unique focus on viruses offers a more in-depth look at the effect of climate change on vector competence, viral particle survival, co-morbidities, and host behavior. An examination of children as a particularly vulnerable population provokes programming tailored to their unique set of vulnerabilities and encourages reflection on equitable climate adaptation frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smit D Chitre
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cecilia M Crews
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mesfin Teklu Tessema
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
- International Rescue Committee, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | - Megan Coffee
- Heilbrunn Department of Population & Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- International Rescue Committee, New York, NY, USA
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eugene T Richardson
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Trickey A, Johnson LF, Fung F, Bonifacio R, Iwuji C, Biraro S, Bosomprah S, Chirimuta L, Euvrard J, Fatti G, Fox MP, Von Groote P, Gumulira J, Howard G, Jennings L, Kiragga A, Muula G, Tanser F, Wagener T, Low A, Vickerman P. Associations of inter-annual rainfall decreases with subsequent HIV outcomes for persons with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Southern Africa: a collaborative analysis of cohort studies. BMC Infect Dis 2023; 23:889. [PMID: 38114912 PMCID: PMC10731689 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08902-9] [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: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Periods of droughts can lead to decreased food security, and altered behaviours, potentially affecting outcomes on antiretroviral therapy (ART) among persons with HIV (PWH). We investigated whether decreased rainfall is associated with adverse outcomes among PWH on ART in Southern Africa. METHODS Data were combined from 11 clinical cohorts of PWH in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, participating in the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA) collaboration. Adult PWH who had started ART prior to 01/06/2016 and were in follow-up in the year prior to 01/06/2016 were included. Two-year rainfall from June 2014 to May 2016 at the location of each HIV centre was summed and ranked against historical 2-year rainfall amounts (1981-2016) to give an empirical relative percentile rainfall estimate. The IeDEA-SA and rainfall data were combined using each HIV centre's latitude/longitude. In individual-level analyses, multivariable Cox or generalized estimating equation regression models (GEEs) assessed associations between decreased rainfall versus historical levels and four separate outcomes (mortality, CD4 counts < 200 cells/mm3, viral loads > 400 copies/mL, and > 12-month gaps in follow-up) in the two years following the rainfall period. GEEs were used to investigate the association between relative rainfall and monthly numbers of unique visitors per HIV centre. RESULTS Among 270,708 PWH across 386 HIV centres (67% female, median age 39 [IQR: 32-46]), lower rainfall than usual was associated with higher mortality (adjusted Hazard Ratio: 1.18 [95%CI: 1.07-1.32] per 10 percentile rainfall rank decrease) and unsuppressed viral loads (adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.05 [1.01-1.09]). Levels of rainfall were not strongly associated with CD4 counts < 200 cell/mm3 or > 12-month gaps in care. HIV centres in areas with less rainfall than usual had lower numbers of PWH visiting them (adjusted Rate Ratio: 0.80 [0.66-0.98] per 10 percentile rainfall rank decrease). CONCLUSIONS Decreased rainfall could negatively impact on HIV treatment behaviours and outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for these effects. Interventions to mitigate the health impact of severe weather events are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Trickey
- Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Leigh F Johnson
- Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Fai Fung
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- UK Meteorological Office, Exeter, UK
| | - Rogerio Bonifacio
- Climate and Earth Observation Unit, Research Assessment and Monitoring Division, World Food Programme HQ, Rome, Italy
| | - Collins Iwuji
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Department of Global Health Infection, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Samuel Biraro
- ICAP at Columbia University, Nakasero, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Samuel Bosomprah
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Jonathan Euvrard
- Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Geoffrey Fatti
- Kheth'Impilo AIDS Free Living, Cape Town, South Africa
- Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Matthew P Fox
- Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Department of Global Health and Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Per Von Groote
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Guy Howard
- Department of Civil Engineering and Cabot Institute of the Environment, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Lauren Jennings
- Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Agnes Kiragga
- Research Division, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Guy Muula
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Frank Tanser
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Thorsten Wagener
- Institute of Environmental Science and Geography, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Andrea Low
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter Vickerman
- Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation at University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Kim CL, Agampodi S, Marks F, Kim JH, Excler JL. Mitigating the effects of climate change on human health with vaccines and vaccinations. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1252910. [PMID: 37900033 PMCID: PMC10602790 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1252910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change represents an unprecedented threat to humanity and will be the ultimate challenge of the 21st century. As a public health consequence, the World Health Organization estimates an additional 250,000 deaths annually by 2030, with resource-poor countries being predominantly affected. Although climate change's direct and indirect consequences on human health are manifold and far from fully explored, a growing body of evidence demonstrates its potential to exacerbate the frequency and spread of transmissible infectious diseases. Effective, high-impact mitigation measures are critical in combating this global crisis. While vaccines and vaccination are among the most cost-effective public health interventions, they have yet to be established as a major strategy in climate change-related health effect mitigation. In this narrative review, we synthesize the available evidence on the effect of climate change on vaccine-preventable diseases. This review examines the direct effect of climate change on water-related diseases such as cholera and other enteropathogens, helminthic infections and leptospirosis. It also explores the effects of rising temperatures on vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and malaria, as well as the impact of temperature and humidity on airborne diseases like influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection. Recent advances in global vaccine development facilitate the use of vaccines and vaccination as a mitigation strategy in the agenda against climate change consequences. A focused evaluation of vaccine research and development, funding, and distribution related to climate change is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Lynn Kim
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suneth Agampodi
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Florian Marks
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Madagascar Institute for Vaccine Research, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jerome H. Kim
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Amzat J, Razum O, Kanmodi KK. Polio-philanthropy in Africa: A narrative review. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1339. [PMID: 37324246 PMCID: PMC10265140 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim Polio eradication efforts including polio-philanthropy have been coordinated and sustained since 1988, with the introduction of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The polio fight is sustained in the name of evidence-based benevolence or beneficent philanthropy from which Africa has benefited immensely. With the recorded polio cases as of 2023, more efforts and funds are required to eradicate polio. Hence, it is not yet "Uhuru." Using the Mertonian lens, this study examines polio-philanthropy in Africa, its unintended consequences, and crucial dilemmas, which could impact the polio fight and polio-philanthropy. Methods This is a narrative review that relies on secondary sources obtained through a thorough literature search. Only studies published in English were utilized. The study synthesized relevant literature in line with the study objective. The following databases were consulted: PubMed, philosopher's index, web of knowledge, Google Scholar, and Sociological Abstracts. Both empirical and theoretical studies were utilized for the study. Results Despite significant achievements, the global initiative has shortcomings when examined through the Mertonian lens of manifest and latent functions. The GPEI sets a unilinear goal within multiple challenges. The activities of the philanthropic giants manifest in disempowering rigor, multisectoral neglect, and parallel (health) systems, sometimes, inimical to the national health system. Most philanthropic giants often operate vertically. It is observed that, apart from funding, the last phase of polio-philanthropy will be defined by some crucial factors, the 4Cs: Communicable disease outbreaks, Conflict, Climate-related disasters, and Conspiracy theory, which could impact the prevalence or resurgence of polio. Conclusion The polio fight will benefit from the persistent drive to reach the finish line as scheduled. The latent consequences or dysfunctions are general lessons for GPEI and other global health initiatives. Therefore, decision-makers should calculate the net balance of consequences within global health philanthropy for appropriate mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimoh Amzat
- Department of SociologyUsmanu Danfodiyo UniversitySokotoNigeria
- Department of SociologyUniversity of JohannesburgJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Oliver Razum
- Department of Epidemiology and International Public Health, School of Public HealthBielefeld UniversityBielefeldGermany
| | - Kehinde K. Kanmodi
- Faculty of DentistryUniversity of PuthisastraPhnom PenhCambodia
- Cephas Health Research Initiative Inc.IbadanNigeria
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Epstein A, Harris OO, Benmarhnia T, Camlin CS, Weiser SD. Do precipitation anomalies influence short-term mobility in sub-saharan Africa? An observational study from 23 countries. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:377. [PMID: 36814247 PMCID: PMC9948323 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15264-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Precipitation anomalies are associated with a number of poor health outcomes. One potential consequence of precipitation extremes is human geographic mobility. We evaluated the associations between precipitation anomalies (droughts and heavy rains) and short-term mobility in 23 sub-Saharan African countries by linking satellite data on precipitation to cross-sectional representative surveys. METHODS Using data from 23 Demographic and Health Surveys from 2011 to 2017, we estimated the associations between deviations in long-term rainfall trends and short-term mobility among 294,539 women and 136,415 men over 15 years of age. We fit multivariable logistic regression models to assess potential non-linear relationships between rainfall deviations and short-term mobility, adjusting for survey month and socio-demographic covariates, and stratified by participant gender. Furthermore, we assessed whether these associations differed by marital status. RESULTS Rainfall deviations were associated with short-term mobility among women, but not men. The relationship between rainfall deviations and mobility among women was U-shaped, such that women had increased marginal probabilities of mobility in instances of both lower and heavier precipitation. Differences between married and unmarried women were also revealed: among married women, we found positive associations between both rainfall deviation extremes (drought and heavy rains) and mobility; however, among unmarried women, there was only a positive association for heavy rains. CONCLUSION Precipitation anomalies were associated with short-term mobility among women, which may be in turn associated with poor health outcomes. More research with longitudinal data is needed to elaborate the associations between weather shocks, mobility, and downstream health impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne Epstein
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
| | - Orlando O Harris
- Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science & Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Carol S Camlin
- Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Sheri D Weiser
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA
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Sheehan MC. 2021 Climate and Health Review - Uncharted Territory: Extreme Weather Events and Morbidity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SERVICES 2022; 52:189-200. [PMID: 35229682 DOI: 10.1177/00207314221082452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Extreme weather events (EWEs) affected health in every world region during 2021, placing the planet in "uncharted territory." Portraying the human impacts of EWEs is part of a health frame that suggests public knowledge of these risks will spur support for needed policy change. The health frame has gained traction since the Paris COP21 (United Nations Climate Change Conference) and arguably helped to achieve modest progress at the Glasgow COP26. However, reporting rarely covers the full picture of health impacts from EWEs, instead focusing on cost of damages, mortality, and displacement. This review summarizes data for 30 major EWEs of 2021 and, based on the epidemiological literature, discusses morbidity-related exposures for four hazards that marked the year: wildfire smoke; extreme cold and power outages; extreme, precipitation-related flooding; and drought. A very large likely burden of morbidity was found, with particularly widespread exposure to risk of respiratory outcomes (including interactions with COVID-19) and mental illnesses. There is need for a well-disseminated global annual report on EWE morbidity, including affected population estimates and evolving science. In this way, the public health frame may be harnessed to bolster evidence for the broader and promising frame of "urgency and agency" for climate change action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Sheehan
- Department of Health Policy & Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA.,Public Policy Center, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
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