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Chandra V, Gaidhane A, Choudhari SG. Public Health Strategies in the Face of Crisis: A Comprehensive Review of the Zika Outbreak in India. Cureus 2024; 16:e58621. [PMID: 38770475 PMCID: PMC11103263 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58621] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the public health strategies employed during the Zika outbreak in India, focusing on the identification, surveillance, and containment efforts. The multifaceted approach, including vector control measures, healthcare infrastructure enhancement, and public communication strategies, played a pivotal role in mitigating the impact of the virus. Government policies and international collaborations emerged as influential factors, underscoring the significance of a coordinated response to infectious disease crises. The study emphasizes the importance of ongoing vigilance and preparedness in public health systems, acknowledging the dynamic nature of emerging infectious diseases. The Zika outbreak in India serves as a valuable case study, offering insights into the strengths and weaknesses of crisis management responses. As the global community faces ongoing health challenges, the lessons learned from this review contribute to refining strategies, improving coordination, and fostering a proactive and resilient approach to safeguarding public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav Chandra
- Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Abhay Gaidhane
- Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
| | - Sonali G Choudhari
- Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, IND
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Squires NA, Soyemi E, Yee LM, Birch EM, Badreldin N. Content Quality of YouTube Videos About Pain Management After Cesarean Birth: Content Analysis. JMIR INFODEMIOLOGY 2023; 3:e40802. [PMID: 37351938 DOI: 10.2196/40802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND YouTube is an increasingly common source of health information; however, the reliability and quality of the information are inadequately understood. Several studies have evaluated YouTube as a resource during pregnancy and found the available information to be of poor quality. Given the increasing attention to postpartum health and the importance of promoting safe opioid use after birth, YouTube may be a source of information for birthing individuals. However, little is known about the available information on YouTube regarding postpartum pain. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to systematically evaluate the quality of YouTube videos as an educational resource for postpartum cesarean pain management. METHODS A systematic search of YouTube videos was conducted on June 25, 2021, using 36 postpartum cesarean pain management-related keywords, which were identified by clinical experts. The search replicated a default YouTube search via a public account. The first 60 results from each keyword search were reviewed, and unique videos were analyzed. An overall content score was developed based on prior literature and expert opinion to evaluate the video's relevance and comprehensiveness. The DISCERN instrument, a validated metric to assess consumer health information, was used to evaluate the reliability of video information. Videos with an overall content score of ≥5 and a DISCERN score of ≥39 were classified as high-quality health education resources. Descriptive analysis and intergroup comparisons by video source and quality were conducted. RESULTS Of 73 unique videos, video sources included medical videos (n=36, 49%), followed by personal video blogs (vlogs; n=32, 44%), advertisements (n=3, 4%), and media (n=2, 3%). The average overall content score was 3.6 (SD 2.0) out of 9, and the average DISCERN score was 39.2 (SD 8.1) out of 75, indicating low comprehensiveness and fair information reliability, respectively. High-quality videos (n=22, 30%) most frequently addressed overall content regarding pain duration (22/22, 100%), pain types (20/22, 91%), return-to-activity instructions (19/22, 86%), and nonpharmacologic methods for pain control (19/22, 86%). There were differences in the overall content score (P=.02) by video source but not DISCERN score (P=.45). Personal vlogs had the highest overall content score at 4.0 (SD 2.1), followed by medical videos at 3.3 (SD 2.0). Longer video duration and a greater number of comments and likes were significantly correlated with the overall content score, whereas the number of video comments was inversely correlated with the DISCERN score. CONCLUSIONS Individuals seeking information from YouTube regarding postpartum cesarean pain management are likely to encounter videos that lack adequate comprehensiveness and reliability. Clinicians should counsel patients to exercise caution when using YouTube as a health information resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie A Squires
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Elizabeth Soyemi
- Illinois Math and Science Academy, Aurora, IL, United States
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lynn M Yee
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Eleanor M Birch
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, United States
| | - Nevert Badreldin
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
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Salehinejad S, Jangipour Afshar P, Borhaninejad V. Rumor surveillance methods in outbreaks: A systematic literature review. Health Promot Perspect 2021; 11:12-19. [PMID: 33758751 PMCID: PMC7967128 DOI: 10.34172/hpp.2021.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The spreading of health-related rumors can profoundly put society at risk, and the investigation of strategies and methods can efficiently prevent the dissemination of hazardous rumor is necessary, especially during a public health emergency including disease outbreaks. In this article we review the studies that implicated the surveillance system in identifying rumors and discuss the different aspects of current methods in this field. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for relevant publications in English from 2000 to 2020. The PICOS approach was used to select articles, and two reviewers extracted the data. Findings were categorized as a source of rumors, type of systems, data collection, and data transmission methods. The quality of the articles was assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT) checklist. Results: Five studies that presented the methods used for rumor detection in different outbreaks were included in the critical appraisal process. Findings were grouped into four categories: source of rumors, type of systems, data collection, and data transmission methods. The source of rumors in most studies was media, including new social and traditional media. The most used data collection methods were human-computer interaction technique, and automatic and manual methods each were discussed in one study. Also, the data transmission method was asynchronous in the majority of studies. Conclusion: Based on our findings, the most common rumor detection systems used in the outbreaks were manual and/or human-computer methods which are considered to be time-consuming processes. Due to the ever-increasing amount of modern social media platforms and the fast-spreading of misinformation in the times of outbreaks, developing the automatically and real-time tools for rumor detection is a vital need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Salehinejad
- Medical Informatics Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Parya Jangipour Afshar
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Vahidreza Borhaninejad
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Perone HR, Herweck AM, Stump HM, Levine HM, Wong AJ, Carugno J. The virtual infertility community: a qualitative analysis of patient experiences shared on Instagram. J Assist Reprod Genet 2021; 38:613-620. [PMID: 33411326 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-02028-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize the experiences of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) through a qualitative analysis of content shared on Instagram. METHODS We analyzed Instagram posts from five randomly selected days in February 2020. The hashtag, #ivfcommunity, was selected to identify public posts authored by Instagram's IVF community members from multiple treatment centers. Text, photos, hashtags, and emojis were collected from 452 included posts and entered into a study-specific database. Using thematic coding, a four-member team initially coded the first day in February. Common themes were agreed upon by all team members, and a preliminary codebook was created for further analysis. The remaining posts were coded by two-member teams who reached a consensus on the multiple themes assigned to each individual post. RESULTS Analysis of posts led to the identification of five major themes: documentation of the medical and physical experience of IVF (76.1%), the emotional spectrum (43.1%), social support (49.2%), coping mechanisms (29.9%), and education (receipt, provision) (11.1%). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that women undergoing IVF often utilize social media to document daily experiences, offer and recognize sources of community support, and provide and receive education regarding their treatments. Given the increased prevalence of mental health conditions, medical providers should explore challenges discussed on online platforms and consider harnessing the supportive nature of online communities to supplement care for IVF patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna R Perone
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave #1140, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Alexandra M Herweck
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave #1140, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Hannah M Stump
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Hannah M Levine
- Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Adriana J Wong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Davis Health System, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2500, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
| | - Jose Carugno
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Ave #1140, Miami, FL, USA
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AGRAWAL A, GUPTA A. The Utility of Social Media during an Emerging Infectious Diseases Crisis: A Systematic Review of Literature. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2020. [DOI: 10.5799/jmid.839415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Widmar NJO, Bir C, Long E, Ruple A. Public perceptions of threats from mosquitoes in the U.S. using online media analytics. Pathog Glob Health 2020; 115:40-52. [PMID: 33161883 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2020.1842641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne illnesses present a public health threat. This analysis quantifies general online mosquito media, and the Zika virus [ZIKV) specifically, from 7-20-2016 to 10-20-2018 in five U.S. geographies. The ZIKV sub-search comprised a shrinking share of online media about mosquitoes over time. Net sentiment, numerical scoring of search result positivity/negativity bounded between -100 and +100, was assessed. Mean net sentiment for the general mosquitoes search was -51; -55 for ZIKV. The ZIKV search revealed more variation in weekly net sentiment with a standard deviation of 14, compared to 10 for mosquitoes. Seventy-seven percent of the weeks had a net sentiment for the mosquito search that was more positive than the ZIKV search. For the 23% of the time the ZIKV search net sentiment was more positive than the general mosquito search, there were mentions of scientific advances, such as the potential for vaccine development associated with the post. Greater emphasis on public health threats from mosquitoes may be necessary to stimulate public action on mosquito-borne illness control. This analysis serves as an illustration of the potential for online/social media analysis to inform health officials of public interest/focus, and perhaps inform effective communication campaigns to combat public health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole J Olynk Widmar
- Department Of Agricultural Economics College of Agriculture, Purdue University , West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Courtney Bir
- Department Of Agricultural Economics, Ferguson College of Agriculture, Oklahoma State University , Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Evan Long
- Department Of Agricultural Economics College of Agriculture, Purdue University , West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Audrey Ruple
- Department Of Public Health, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University , West Lafayette, IN, USA
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Agarwal N, Harikar M, Shukla R, Bajpai A. COVID-19 pandemic: a double trouble for Indian adolescents and young adults living with type 1 diabetes. Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries 2020; 40:346-352. [PMID: 32963456 PMCID: PMC7498738 DOI: 10.1007/s13410-020-00869-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Strict isolation measures and interrupted health care services during the COVID 19 pandemic are contemplated to instigate stress universally, particularly in those with chronic illnesses such as type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS A cross-sectional, observational study was done to assess determinants of stress and its impact on glycemic control in adolescents and young adults (aged 12-24 years) living with T1D in India. An online, semi-structured survey including Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) was distributed and results were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 89 participants (46 males, mean age 19.61 ± 3.8 years) with T1D completed the survey. Age (r = 0.325, p = 0.005) and HBA1C level within the preceding 3 months (r = 0.274, p = 0.036) correlated positively with PSS-10 scores. There was a statistically significant difference in PSS-10 score based on gender (t(70) = - 2.147; p = 0.035), education (F (4,67) = 4.34, p = 0.003), and occupation (F(3,68) = 4.50, p = .006). On multiple linear regression, gender, occupation, and HbA1C were the significant determinants of PSS-10 (F(3,55) = 12.01, p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.363). One-way ANOVA showed a significant impact of mean PSS-10 score on the glycemic control (F(2,69) = 3.813, p = 0.027). CONCLUSION An increased prevalence of stress was seen among Indian adolescents and young adults living with T1D. Female gender, salaried individuals, and pre-existing poorly controlled diabetes contributed to an increased risk of stress. Increased stress resulted in worsened glycemic control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Agarwal
- GROW Society, Growth and Obesity Workforce, Kanpur, India
| | | | - Rishi Shukla
- GROW Society, Growth and Obesity Workforce, Kanpur, India
- Department of Endocrinology, Regency Healthcare, Kanpur, India
| | - Anurag Bajpai
- GROW Society, Growth and Obesity Workforce, Kanpur, India
- Department of Endocrinology, Regency Healthcare, Kanpur, India
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Sooknanan J, Comissiong DMG. Trending on Social Media: Integrating Social Media into Infectious Disease Dynamics. Bull Math Biol 2020; 82:86. [PMID: 32617673 PMCID: PMC7329999 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-020-00757-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Social media plays an important role in alerting and educating the public during disease outbreaks. By increasing awareness of the disease and its prevention, it can lead to a modification of behaviour which then affects contact/incidence rates. Social media data may also be used when formulating, developing and parameterising models. As mobile technology continues to evolve and proliferate, social media is expected to occupy an increasingly prominent role in the field of infectious disease modelling to improve their predictive power. This article presents a review of existing models incorporating media in general and highlights opportunities for social media to enhance traditional compartmental models so as to make the best use of this resource in controlling the spread of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sooknanan
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - D M G Comissiong
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
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9
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Zamberg I, Manzano S, Posfay-Barbe K, Windisch O, Agoritsas T, Schiffer E. A Mobile Health Platform to Disseminate Validated Institutional Measurements During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Utilization-Focused Evaluation Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2020; 6:e18668. [PMID: 32250958 PMCID: PMC7159056 DOI: 10.2196/18668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As part of the response plans for the current outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), authorities are drafting and implementing containment measures across jurisdictions worldwide in the effort to slow down transmission and reduce the infection rate. A solid communication strategy is needed to increase the reach of valid information to health professionals, reduce misinformation, and efficiently implement recommended measures. Objective The aim of this paper is to describe the utilization of a dedicated mobile health (mHealth) platform to disseminate up-to-date and validated information about SARS-CoV-2 to all medical staff of the Children’s Hospital at the University Hospitals of Geneva. Methods Three documents containing institutional information concerning screening, local containment procedures, and frequently asked questions and answers for parents were made available to the staff through a mobile app developed in the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Using a third-party statistics tool, we anonymously monitored user activity as well as content utilization patterns since the diagnosis of the first case of SARS-CoV-2 in Switzerland on February 25, 2020. Results From February 25, 2020, to March 13, 2020 (18 days), information documents on SARS-CoV-2 were viewed 859 times, which accounted for 35.6% of the total content views (total views=332). User activity increased significantly with 50.8 (SD 14.4) users per day in this period as compared to the previous weeks (mean 26.4, SD 9.8; P<.001). In addition, session numbers per day more than doubled during the aforementioned period (P<.001). In a survey, medical staff found the information easy to find within the app. On a 10-point Likert scale, the ability of the app to reassure staff in clinical practice was rated as 7.6 (SD 2.1), time-saving ability was rated as 8.5 (SD 2.1), and the need to look for information from other sources was rated as 5.9 (SD 3.3). Conclusions The use of an mHealth solution to disseminate novel coronavirus–related information seemed to be an effective and time-saving communication channel within our institution during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Medical staff felt reassured and informed in daily practice. More research should be done on the clinical impact and outcomes of the integration of mHealth solutions as a communication channel of validated information within health institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ido Zamberg
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Manzano
- Division of Pediatric Emergency, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Klara Posfay-Barbe
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Windisch
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Agoritsas
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eduardo Schiffer
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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10
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Antibiotic-treated acute appendicitis—reception in social media. Langenbecks Arch Surg 2019; 404:343-349. [DOI: 10.1007/s00423-019-01777-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Wakamiya S, Matsune S, Okubo K, Aramaki E. Causal Relationships Among Pollen Counts, Tweet Numbers, and Patient Numbers for Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Surveillance: Retrospective Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e10450. [PMID: 30785411 PMCID: PMC6401667 DOI: 10.2196/10450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Health-related social media data are increasingly used in disease-surveillance studies, which have demonstrated moderately high correlations between the number of social media posts and the number of patients. However, there is a need to understand the causal relationship between the behavior of social media users and the actual number of patients in order to increase the credibility of disease surveillance based on social media data. Objective This study aimed to clarify the causal relationships among pollen count, the posting behavior of social media users, and the number of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis in the real world. Methods This analysis was conducted using datasets of pollen counts, tweet numbers, and numbers of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. We examined daily pollen counts for Japanese cedar (the major cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis in Japan) and hinoki cypress (which commonly complicates seasonal allergic rhinitis) from February 1 to May 31, 2017. The daily numbers of tweets that included the keyword “kafunshō” (or seasonal allergic rhinitis) were calculated between January 1 and May 31, 2017. Daily numbers of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis from January 1 to May 31, 2017, were obtained from three healthcare institutes that participated in the study. The Granger causality test was used to examine the causal relationships among pollen count, tweet numbers, and the number of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis from February to May 2017. To determine if time-variant factors affect these causal relationships, we analyzed the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (February to April) when Japanese cedar trees actively produce and release pollen. Results Increases in pollen count were found to increase the number of tweets during the overall study period (P=.04), but not the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.05). In contrast, increases in pollen count were found to increase patient numbers in both the study period (P=.04) and the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.01). Increases in the number of tweets increased the patient numbers during the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.02), but not the overall study period (P=.89). Patient numbers did not affect the number of tweets in both the overall study period (P=.24) and the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.47). Conclusions Understanding the causal relationships among pollen counts, tweet numbers, and numbers of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis is an important step to increasing the credibility of surveillance systems that use social media data. Further in-depth studies are needed to identify the determinants of social media posts described in this exploratory analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoko Wakamiya
- Institute for Research Initiatives, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan.,Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan.,Data Science Center, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
| | - Shoji Matsune
- Musashikosugi Hospital, Nippon Medical School, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Kimihiro Okubo
- Nippon Medical School Hospital, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo, Japan
| | - Eiji Aramaki
- Institute for Research Initiatives, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan.,Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan.,Data Science Center, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Ikoma, Japan
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12
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Duman-Scheel M, Eggleson KK, Achee NL, Grieco JP, Hapairai LK. Mosquito control practices and perceptions: An analysis of economic stakeholders during the Zika epidemic in Belize, Central America. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201075. [PMID: 30024951 PMCID: PMC6053204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The tourist-based economy of Belize, a tropical hub for eco-tourism, is at high risk to be disproportionately impacted by established and emerging mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika. An online survey was used to probe economic stakeholders working in the Belize tourism industry about their mosquito control practices and perceptions. Responses demonstrated that the respondents have good working knowledge of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses. Most businesses surveyed engage in some means of mosquito control, either through larval source reduction or use of insecticides on the premises. Larvicide use was significantly correlated with a general willingness to use insecticides, as well as belief that treatment of water will reduce mosquito densities and disease transmission. A majority of the respondents agreed that they would be interested in buying a new larvicide to be used on the business premises if it were shown to be safe and effective. The safety of mosquito control products for humans, animals, plants, and the environment in general, followed by product effectiveness, are the most critical determinants of mosquito control purchasing decisions. A majority of respondents agreed that control of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses is central to the success of their tourist-based industry. Respondents expressed significant concern that the Zika epidemic was over-sensationalized by the media, and that this negatively impacted their livelihoods. The respondents, many of whom are associated with eco/sustainable businesses, also voiced concerns that chemical pesticides could have a negative impact on human health and the environment and expressed a desire for balance between effective mosquito control and preservation of the rich biodiversity of Belize. This study provided a framework for further engagement activities in Belize and other Caribbean nations, uncovered both concerns and support for emerging mosquito control technologies, and revealed opportunities for further debate and educational outreach efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Duman-Scheel
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana, United States of America
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Kathleen K. Eggleson
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Nicole L. Achee
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - John P. Grieco
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Limb K. Hapairai
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, South Bend, Indiana, United States of America
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
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