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Jongdeepaisal M, Sirimatayanant M, Khonputsa P, Hein PS, Buback L, Beyeler N, Chebbi A, Maude RJ. Expanded roles of community health workers to sustain malaria services in the Asia-Pacific: A landscaping survey. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0003597. [PMID: 39141646 PMCID: PMC11324099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Malaria Community Health Workers (CHWs) in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are an important component of malaria elimination efforts. As malaria declines with intensified efforts to eliminate by 2030, expanding their roles beyond malaria could help to sustain funding and provision of malaria services at the community level. Evidence of how programmes have implemented and managed CHWs performing both malaria and non-malaria roles across the Asia-Pacific region can provide insight into the viability of this strategy. A short survey was distributed to national malaria programmes and implementing organizations in the Asia-Pacific region in 2021-2022. The survey identified CHW programmes in the region, and collected information on malaria and non-malarial services provided by CHWs, characteristics of each identified programme, and the impact of COVID-19 on these programmes. 35 survey responses identified 28 programmes in 14 countries. The most frequently reported services provided by malaria CHWs were health promotion and education for malaria (13/14 countries) and other diseases (11/14); and COVID-19 related activities (10/14). Most programmes were financed wholly through donor funding (18/28 programmes), or donor plus government funding (6/28). Of 21 programmes which performed programme evaluation, only 2 evaluated their impacts on diseases beyond malaria. Declining donor funding, and COVID-19 related travel and activity restrictions were identified as implementation challenges. CHWs across the Asia Pacific provide a range of health services with malaria and are resilient under changing public health landscapes such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Further investigation into the impact of additional roles on malaria CHW performance and targeted health outcomes is needed to verify the benefits and feasibility of role expansion. As the GMS approaches elimination, and funding declines, verifying the cost effectiveness of malaria CHW programmes will be vital to persuade donors and countries to invest in malaria CHWs to sustain malaria services, and strengthen community-based health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monnaphat Jongdeepaisal
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Massaya Sirimatayanant
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Panarasri Khonputsa
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Phone Si Hein
- Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Laura Buback
- Global Health Group, UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Naomi Beyeler
- Global Health Group, UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Amita Chebbi
- Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Richard J. Maude
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
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Awasthi KR, Jancey J, Clements ACA, Rai R, Leavy JE. Community engagement approaches for malaria prevention, control and elimination: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e081982. [PMID: 38365295 PMCID: PMC10875526 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Globally malaria programmes have adopted approaches to community engagement (ACE) to design and deliver malaria interventions. This scoping review aimed to understand, map, and synthesise intervention activities guided by ACE and implemented by countries worldwide for the prevention, control and elimination of malaria. METHODS Three databases (Web of Science, Proquest, and Medline) were searched for peer-reviewed, primary studies, published in English between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2022. Advanced Google was used to search for grey literature. The five levels of the International Association for Public Participation were used to categorise ACE - (1) Inform, (2) Consult, (3) involve, (4) Collaborate, and (5) Co-lead. Intervention activities were categorised as health education (HE), and/or health services (HS), and/or environmental management (EM). Outcomes were collected as knowledge, attitude, behaviour, help-seeking, health and HS and environment. Enablers and barriers were identified. Malaria intervention phases were categorised as (1) prevention (P), or (2) control (C), or (3) prevention and control (PC) or prevention, control and elimination (PCE). RESULTS Seventy-five studies were included in the review. Based on ACE levels, most studies were at the inform (n=37) and involve (n=26) level. HE (n=66) and HS (n=43) were the common intervention activities. HE informed communities about malaria, its prevention and vector control. EM activities were effective when complemented by HE. Community-based HS using locally recruited health workers was well-accepted by the community. Involvement of local leaders and collaboration with local stakeholders can be enablers for malaria intervention activities. CONCLUSION Involving local leaders and community groups in all stages of malaria prevention programmes is vital for successful interventions. Key elements of successful ACE, that is, consult, collaborate, and co-lead were under-represented in the literature and require attention. National programes must consult and collaborate with community stakeholders to develop ownership of the interventions and eventually co-lead them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Raj Awasthi
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jonine Jancey
- Western Australian Centre for Health Promotion Research, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Rajni Rai
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Naserrudin NA, Adhikari B, Culleton R, Hod R, Jeffree MS, Ahmed K, Hassan MR. Knowledge, compliance, and challenges in anti-malarial products usage: a systematic review of at-risk communities for zoonotic malaria. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:317. [PMID: 38287308 PMCID: PMC10823597 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17792-8] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zoonotic malaria is a growing public health threat in the WHO Southeast Asia (SEA) and Western Pacific (WP) regions. Despite vector-control measures, the distribution of Macaque fascicularis and M. nemestrina, and Anopheles mosquitoes carrying non-human simian malaria parasites poses challenges to malaria elimination. The systematic review assesses the literature on knowledge and malaria-preventive practices in zoonotic malaria-affected areas across the WHO SEA and WP, aiming to identify challenges for malaria control. METHODS Peer-reviewed articles published in English, Malay and Indonesian between January 2010 and December 2022 were searched in OVID Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Studies of any design-excluding reviews, conference proceedings, and reports from all WHO SEA and WP countries vulnerable to zoonotic malaria-were included. Backwards-reference screening and thematic analysis were conducted. RESULTS Among 4,174 initially searched articles, 22 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. An additional seven articles were identified through backwards-reference screening, resulting in a total of 29 articles for this review. Half of these studies were conducted in Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Thailand, mainly in forests and remote communities. The review highlighted inconsistencies in the operationalization of knowledge, and five major themes were identified related to knowledge: causation and transmission, symptoms, treatment, severity and complications, and malaria prevention. While participants generally had some understanding of malaria causation/transmission, minority and indigenous ethnic groups demonstrated limited knowledge and held misconceptions, such as attributing malaria to drinking dirty water. Preventive practices included traditional and non-traditional or modern methods-with a preference for traditional approaches to avoid mosquito bites. Challenges to malaria control included feasibility, cost, and access to healthcare services. CONCLUSION This review provides insights into knowledge, local understandings, and preventive practices related to malaria in the WHO SEA and WP regions. The findings highlight the need for future research to explore the knowledge of at-risk communities regarding zoonotic malaria, their perceive threat of the disease and factors exposing them to zoonotic malaria. New strategies must be developed for zoonotic malaria programs tailored to local contexts, emphasizing the significance of community participation, health education, and socio-behavioural change initiatives. It is important to consider the interconnectedness of human health, environmental and non-human primates conservation. Socio-cultural nuances should also be carefully considered in the design and implementation of these programs to ensure their effect tailored to local contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurul Athirah Naserrudin
- Institute for Health Systems Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, Setia Alam, Shah alam, 40170, Malaysia
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia
| | - Bipin Adhikari
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Richard Culleton
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan
| | - Rozita Hod
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia
| | - Mohammad Saffree Jeffree
- Borneo Medical and Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia, Sabah, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, 88400, Malaysia
| | - Kamruddin Ahmed
- Borneo Medical and Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia, Sabah, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Rohaizat Hassan
- Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia.
- Borneo Medical and Health Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia, Sabah, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
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Khan N, Awasthi G, Das A. How can the complex epidemiology of malaria in India impact its elimination? Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:432-444. [PMID: 37031071 PMCID: PMC10175201 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.03.006] [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: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a human health hazard in the tropical and subtropical zones of the globe and is poised to be eliminated by the year 2030. Despite a decrease in incidence in the past two decades, many endemic countries, including India, report cases regularly. The epidemiology of malaria in India is unique owing to several features of the Plasmodium parasites, Anopheles vectors, ecoepidemiological situations conducive to disease transmission, and susceptible humans living in rural and forested areas. Limitations in public health reach, and poor health-seeking behaviour of vulnerable populations living in hard-to-reach areas, add to the problem. We bring all of these factors together in a comprehensive framework and opine that, in spite of complexities, targeted elimination of malaria in India is achievable with planned programmatic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhat Khan
- Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, India
| | | | - Aparup Das
- Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Research in Tribal Health, Jabalpur, India.
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Awasthi KR, Jancey J, Clements ACA, Sah RK, Koirala MP, Chalise B, Leavy JE. Traditional Beliefs, Practices, and Migration: A Risk to Malaria Transmission in Rural Nepal. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16872. [PMID: 36554752 PMCID: PMC9779137 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The study aimed to explore sociocultural factors influencing the risk of malaria and practices and beliefs towards malaria prevention, transmission and treatment in a remote village in Khatyad Rural Municipality (KRM) of Nepal. A sequential exploratory mixed methods approach was used. Qualitative data were collected through 25 one-on-one, in-depth interviews followed by a face-to-face household survey (n = 218) among people from a village in KRM believed to have a high risk of malaria. Traditional practices such as Chhaupadi requiring the seclusion of women during menstruation and post-partum, transhumance, and reliance on traditional healers for the management of malaria were common practices in the village. The household survey found 98.1% of women faced menstrual exile either inside the house or in a separate hut, with 64.2% not having access to Long-lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs). Hardships and economic constraints compelled villagers to migrate seasonally for work to malaria-endemic areas in India, thereby exposing themselves to the risk of malaria. Persistent traditional beliefs and seasonal migration could threaten the elimination goals set by the national malaria program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Raj Awasthi
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
| | - Jonine Jancey
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
| | - Archie C. A. Clements
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Rohit Kumar Sah
- National Malaria Program, Karnali Province Field Office, Nepalgunj 21900, Nepal
| | | | - Binaya Chalise
- Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, Higasi-Hiroshima 739-8529, Japan
| | - Justine E. Leavy
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
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Buyinza Mugeere A, Oporia F, Kobusingye O. A qualitative study of the causes and circumstances of drowning in Uganda. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:2024. [PMCID: PMC9636780 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14461-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Drowning is a serious worldwide and preventable injury problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this paper is to draw on the results of semi-structured interviews with witnesses, family members and friends of persons involved in fatal and nonfatal drowning incidents to describe the circumstances of drowning in both lakeside and non-lakeside districts and to identify potential contextually appropriate interventions for drowning prevention and surveillance in Uganda.
Methods
The findings presented in this study were based on data collected from study participants selected through purposive sampling comprising 324 individual face-to-face interviews with drowning witnesses, family members, friends of and survivors of drowning and ten (10) focus group discussions held with community members in 14 districts in Uganda. Data analysis was done using the Framework Analysis Approach with the aid of the Microsoft Atlas ti software (version 8) program.
Results
The study results reveal a range of circumstances under which drowning occurs in Uganda, poor record keeping of drowning incidents, fear of reporting drowning incidences to the authorities, challenges in preventing drowning and proposed strategies for mitigating the problem.
Conclusions
This study found that there is no specialized record keeping system for drowning cases in Uganda and where such records are kept, the system is entirely manual (in hard copy form) with no electronic storage of data. Secondly, the drowning cases reported to police posts and stations in various parts of the country are not transmitted to the district headquarters and national database. These and other conclusions not only provide valuable insights into understanding of drowning circumstances but also the key policy and programme interventions for water-based economic activities such as fishing and public water transportation in Uganda and other LMICs.
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Sissoko B, Rafiq MY, Wang JR, Sissoko NDN. Social representations of malaria in a southern malian community: an ethnographic qualitative study. Malar J 2022; 21:276. [PMID: 36175914 PMCID: PMC9523929 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04298-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria is one of the prime reasons for medical consultation and the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Mali. To assess and understand the dynamics of social representations of malaria, the anthropological research was conducted in the Wayerema II neighbourhood of the health district of Sikasso, southern Mali. Methods This was an ethnographic study conducted qualitatively in 2011 and 2016 through informal conversations, 70 semi-structured interviews, and participant observations with key actors. The observations, conversations, and interviews investigated local people’s perceptions and knowledge about malaria, and how and to what extent the cultural and popular representations of the disease can have an impact on therapeutic routes. Results Mosquitoes are the principal agent of the transmission of malaria. However, the ubiquitous yet casually-claimed aetiological agents, causative, nosographic entities differ from—although sometimes integrated into—the biomedical dimension. For example, some communities perceive Kono, a complicated and pernicious form of malaria that often occurs among children, to originate from a supernatural force. “Bird disease” is another term used for Kono in Mali and other West African countries. Thus, overall, Kono is defined through the entanglements with cultural factors, namely the idiosyncratic habits, customs, and beliefs of the population of Wayerema II neighbourhood in the health district of Sikasso, Southern Mali. Wayerema II residents particularly tend to link therapeutic recourse amongst the afflicted not only to biomedical models but to sociocultural and popular perceptions and representations of malaria. Conclusion In the findings, self-medication through both traditional and modern medical techniques was the most frequent therapeutic modality. Hence, the integration of local popular knowledge with the biomedical register can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of social representations and perceptions of malaria, and qualitative improvements in the malaria control programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bourema Sissoko
- Institute of Anthropology, School of Social Development, East China Normal University, Minhang District, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China. .,Faculty of Foreign Languages, Southwest Forestry University, 296 Bailongsi, Kunming, Yunnan, 650224, China.
| | - Mohamed Yunus Rafiq
- Department of Social Sciences, New York University Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 200122, China
| | - Jiaqi Rosemary Wang
- Department of Social Sciences, New York University Shanghai, 1555 Century Avenue, Pudong New District, Shanghai, 200122, China
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