scholarly journals Communicating Risk for a Climate-Sensitive Disease: A Case Study of Valley Fever in Central California

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (18) ◽  
pp. 3254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Matlock ◽  
Suellen Hopfer ◽  
Oladele A. Ogunseitan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Health Risk Factors ◽  
Valley Fever ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies

Valley Fever, or Coccidioidomycosis, a fungal respiratory disease, is prevalent with increasing incidence in the Southwestern United States, especially in the central region of California. Public health agencies in the region do not have a consistent strategy for communication and health promotion targeting vulnerable communities about this climate-sensitive disease. We used the behavior adaptation communication model to design and conduct semi-structured interviews with representatives of public health agencies in five California counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Luis Obispo, and Tulare County. While none of the agencies currently include climate change information into their Valley Fever risk messaging, the agencies discuss future communication methods similar to other health risk factors such as poor air quality days and influenza virus season. For political reasons, some public health agencies deliberately avoided the use of climate change language in communicating health risk factors to farmers who are particularly vulnerable to soil and dust-borne fungal spores. The effectiveness of health communication activities of the public health agencies has not been measured in reducing the prevalence of Valley Fever in impacted communities. Given the transboundary nature of climate influence on Valley Fever risk, a concerted and consistent health communication strategy is expected to be more effective than current practices.

Assessing public health risk factors for internally displaced households in North Darfur, Sudan

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elfadil Mohammed Mahmoud ◽  
Indraijt Pal ◽  
Mokbul Morshed Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Health Risk Factors ◽  
Public Health Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internally Displaced ◽  
Household Level ◽  
The Public

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the public health risk factors of internally displaced households and suggest appropriate measures and strategies for health risk reduction in the context of IDPs.Design/methodology/approachThe composite Index (CI) method was used to compare the public health risk factors at the household level in three IDP camps. A set of 22 indicators were studied in 326 households. Households were selected by using a two-stage cluster sampling technique.FindingsThe findings indicate that the Shangil Tobaya camp is at the highest risk for communicable diseases (63.6%) followed by Zamzam (52.4%) and Abu Shouk (42.7%) at the household level. Eight indicators appeared to have made differential impacts between Abu Shouk and Shangil Tobaya, these include: level of education, walking time to health facilities, water source, latrines type, safe disposal of child feces, frequency of visit by pregnant women to antenatal care services, place of delivery and women delivering their children with the help of skilled birth attendants.Research limitations/implicationsSince the selection criteria of the camps were predefined; there are variations in the number of samples between the camps. Therefore, the generalizability may be compromised.Social implicationsIncreased access to healthcare services particularly reproductive health services to the most vulnerable groups (women). Community involvement in services management to promote ownership.Originality/valueThe methods used in this study is original and flexible and can be replicated for other emergency areas and risks.

scholarly journals 1351. How Do Infectious Diseases Clinicians Manage Patients with Suspected Ocular Tuberculosis? Results of an Emerging Infections Network Survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S489-S489
Author(s):  
Henry S Fraimow ◽  
Susan E Beekmann ◽  
Philip M Polgreen ◽  
James Sunstrum
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Practice Variation ◽  
Response To Therapy ◽  
Emerging Infections ◽  
Hypothetical Case ◽  
Duration Of Treatment ◽  
Ocular Tuberculosis ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies

Abstract Background Ocular tuberculosis (OTb) is uncommon and many ID physicians (IDPs) have limited experience with OT. Ophthalmologists now include IGRAs in evaluating idiopathic uveitis, and some IDPs report increased referrals for possible OTb. Our goal was to understand how IDPs approach diagnosis, treatment, and reporting of OTb. Methods The Emerging Infections Network surveyed members treating adult ID patients in 2019 about referrals for suspected OTb. The survey used hypothetical case scenarios to evaluate factors influencing the management of possible OTb, and queried involvement of public health agencies. Results 754 of 1,379 (55%) physicians responded. 141 (19%) reported ≥1 referral for possible OTb in the past 3 years; 35% of these reported increasing referrals over time. Most frequent indications for referral were uveitis and positive IGRA (60%) and idiopathic uveitis without positive IGRA or TST (33%). For a hypothetical case with uveitis, positive IGRA but no other symptoms, respondents were much more likely (79% vs. 29%) to treat as TB disease if TB risk factors were present. Respondents were more likely to require a positive eye culture or NAAT prior to treating a risk factor-negative patient (39% vs. 12%). 54% of respondents believed <10% of eye specimens were culture or NAAT-positive for suspected OTb. 94% would treat suspected OTb with INH, RIF, PZA ± EMB but duration of treatment varied with 27% stopping therapy for lack of clinical response and 59% continuing for at least 6 months regardless of response. 44% were unsure if improvement should be expected on therapy. One-third of respondents either did not report or reported only culture-confirmed OTb cases on treatment to public health agencies. Conclusion IDPs report increased referrals for possible OTb, mainly for idiopathic uveitis and positive IGRAs. There is considerable practice variation in management of possible OTb. The decision to treat as TB disease is heavily influenced by TB epidemiologic risk factors, and there is heterogeneity in treatment duration and in expectation of response to therapy. Prospective studies to assess treatment responses in OTb and improved collaboration with ophthalmologists are necessary to better manage this emerging syndrome. Treated OTb cases should be reported to public health agencies. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Prevalence of bovine and avian tuberculosis in camel herds and associated public health risk factors in Isiolo County, Kenya

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 937-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter O. Lamuka ◽  
Francis M. Njeruh ◽  
George C. Gitao ◽  
Joseph Matofari ◽  
Richard Bowen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Health Risk Factors ◽  
Public Health Risk ◽  
Isiolo County

scholarly journals Epidemiological Risk Factors of SARS-CoV-2 Infections

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Barletta
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Advanced Age ◽  
Physiological Basis ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Epidemiological Risk

AbstractSince the first governmental recognitions of the pandemic characteristic of the SARS-CoV-2 infections, public health agencies have warned about the dangers of the virus to persons with a variety of underlying physical conditions, many of which are more commonly found in persons older than 50 years old. To investigate the statistical, rather than physiological basis of such warnings, this study examines correlations on a nation-by-nation basis between the statistical data concerning covid-19 fatalities among the populations of the ninety-nine countries with the greatest number of SARS-CoV-2 infections plus the statistics of potential co-morbidities that may influence the severity of the infections. It examines reasons that may underlie of the degree to which advanced age increases the risk of mortality of an infection and contrasts the risk factors of SARS-Cov-2 infections with those of influenzas and their associated pneumonias.

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