scholarly journals Impact of Communication Measures Implemented During a School Tuberculosis Outbreak on Risk Perception among Parents and School Staff, Italy, 2019

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Gentili ◽  
Andrea Bardin ◽  
Elisa Ros ◽  
Cinzia Piovesan ◽  
Mauro Ramigni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Local Population ◽  
School Staff ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Open Approach ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Telephone Hotline ◽  
The Impact

Risk perception has a significant impact on decisions people make when facing a threat: a mismatch between actual hazard and perceived risk can lead to inappropriate behaviours and suboptimal compliance to recommended public health measures. The present study was conducted in the aftermath of a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak that occurred in 2019 in a primary school in Italy. The aim was to evaluate the impact of communication measures implemented by local health authorities (including face-to-face meetings between LHAs and the local population, weekly press announcements, implementation of a telephone hotline and of an information desk, and social media communication), on risk perception among parents of schoolchildren and school staff, and to identify factors related to a change in risk perception before and after the said activities. An anonymous questionnaire was administered to parents of schoolchildren (n = 846) and to school staff (n = 70). Participants were asked about the level of risk they had perceived at two distinct times: when they first became aware of the outbreak and following implementation of communication activities. A significant reduction of perceived risk was found in both groups (p < 0.001) following the communication activities. The largest reduction was found among participants who reported having appreciated the meetings with the LHA healthcare staff. Our findings suggest that keeping an open approach, explaining the actual threat to the population and adapting communication to different listening skills, are essential for health authorities to successfully manage a public health emergency.

scholarly journals The Impact of Covid-19 Public Health Policies on Persons with Disability and their Caregivers in Malta

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-37
Author(s):  
Andrew Camilleri ◽  
Samantha Pace Gasan ◽  
Andrew Azzopardi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Essential Services ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Restrictive Measures ◽  
The Impact

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global health pandemic, due to the spread of a novel coronavirus, later named “Covid-19”. The spread of Covid-19 led to social isolation, distancing and a number of restrictive measures in Malta.  The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of Covid-19 and the subsequent restrictive measures on persons with disability and their caregivers and families in Malta. Using thematic analysis, the study found that a variety of impacts ranging from a sense of isolation, lack of essential services being provided, additional difficulties encountered at the place of work and education and measures that were not sufficiently tailored for persons with disability issued by public health authorities. Underlying the additional difficulties brought about by Covid-19, structural difficulties to access essential services as well as ignorance from policy makers and politicians and the added “vulnerable-ization” of persons with disabilities were found to be highly impacting factors that pervade the experience of persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

scholarly journals The prevalence of scabies in Monrovia, Liberia: a population-based survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelui Collinson ◽  
Joseph Timothy ◽  
Samuel K Zayay ◽  
Karsor K Kollie ◽  
Eglantine Lebas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackgroundScabies is known to be a public health problem in many settings but the majority of recent data is from rural settings in the Pacific. There is a need for high quality data from sub-Saharan Africa and peri-Urban settings to inform scale up of scabies control efforts. There have been anecdotal reports of scabies being a public health problem in Liberia but robust data are lacking.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional cluster-randomised prevalence survey for scabies in a peri-urban community in Monrovia, Liberia in February-March 2020. Participants underwent a standardised examination conducted by trained local health care workers. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using age-appropriate dermatology life quality indices (DLQIs). Prevalence estimates were calculated accounting for clustering at community and household levels and associations with key demographic variables assessed through multivariable random-effects logistic regression.Results1,318 participants from 477 households were surveyed. The prevalence of scabies prevalence was 9.3% (95% CI: 6.5-13.2%), across 75 (19.7%) households; impetigo or infected scabies prevalence was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4-1.9%). The majority (52%) of scabies cases were classified as severe. Scabies prevalence was lower in females and higher in the youngest age group; no associations were found with other collected demographic or socio-economic variables. DLQI scores indicated a very or extremely large effect on HRQoL in 29% of adults and 18% of children diagnosed with scabies.ConclusionsOur study indicates a substantial burden of scabies in this peri-Urban population in Liberia. This was associated with significant impact on quality of life, highlighting the need for action to control scabies in this population. Further work is needed to assess the impact of interventions in this context on both the prevalence of scabies and quality of life.Plain English summaryScabies is an infestation with a microscopic mite which affects many people living in low-resource tropical countries. It causes intense itching, which can lead to complications through bacterial infection and poor quality of life. To help develop global scabies control programmes, we need a better understanding of how common it is across different tropical settings. We conducted a survey to assess the burden of scabies and bacterial skin infection in a random sample of people living in a community in Monrovia, Liberia. Information about participants and their household were collected and their skin was examined; those with skin conditions were asked about its impact on quality of life.We examined 1,318 participants and found that almost 10% of people had scanies. Scabies was more common in young children, and was more common in male children than female children. We found that there was a large impact on quality of life due mostly to the itching that scabies causes and to people feeling embarrassed or sad because of their skin condition. This scabies survey is one of the first conducted across all age groups in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa and indicates a substantial burden and impact on quality of life. More work is needed to understand how common scabies is in different settings and the impact that different treatment strategies may have.

scholarly journals Management of Malaria in Children Younger Than 5 Years Old During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in Sierra Leone: A Lesson Learned?

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo Buonsenso ◽  
Francesco Iodice ◽  
Bianca Cinicola ◽  
Francesca Raffaelli ◽  
Solia Sowa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Malaria Diagnosis ◽  
Peripheral Region ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Proactive Approach ◽  
The Impact

Growing evidences are showing the potential indirect effects of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the health systems of low-resource settings, where diseases such as Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Malaria represent major killers. Therefore, we performed a retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on Malaria programs in a peripheral region of Sierra Leone, previously involved by the Ebola outbreak in 2015, when malaria care have been impaired since local health systems were overwhelmed by Ebola cases. During COVID-19 in Sierra Leone, we did not notice a significant drop in malaria diagnosis in children, suggesting that a proactive approach in the management of malaria in endemic countries during COVID-19 may have had a positive impact. A comprehensive approach that include also educational activities to sensitize the local population, was useful to guarantee successful malaria diagnosis and treatment, and prevents excess of malaria deaths due to potential disruption of the local health systems related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The Public Health Police

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trevor Hoppe
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Adherence To Treatment ◽  
The Public ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Local Health Authorities

As the HIV epidemic wore on in the 2000s, public health authorities became enamored with the idea of “ending AIDS.” That is, if they could just get HIV-positive people to take their pills and stop infecting other people. Health departments began to track HIV-positive clients more closely, aiming to control their behavior and ensure their adherence to treatment regimens. This chapter explores how local health authorities ensure that HIV-positive clients behave in a manner officials deem responsible—and how they catch and punish those who do not. While the state maintains that the work of local health officials is done solely in the interests of promoting public health, their efforts to control HIV-positive clients reveal that they are also engaged in policing and law enforcement.

scholarly journals How primary care and public health interact in local health contracts in France?

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M s Kendir ◽  
Mr Le Bodo ◽  
M r Breton ◽  
M r Bourgueil
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Access To Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Epidemiological Changes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Primary Care Professionals

Abstract The demographic and epidemiological changes orient health care services towards communities with a focus on prevention and health promotion. Moreover, in France, the rapid decline of General Practitioners affect access to care in certain areas. Thus, it has made a call for interaction of primary care (PC) services and public health which can be strengthened by the actions at the local level. In 2009, the local health contracts (Contract local de santé; CLS) were developed to foster collaborative actions on the social determinants of health and to improve access to care. Considering the critical contribution of PC in these issues, one may ask how CLS mobilized PC and facilitate linkages between actions oriented toward population and primary care. The objective of this ancillary study (part of the CloterreS project), is to explore how often and how CLS involve PC in access to care and public health related actions. A mixed-method study based on document analysis, with a random sample of 17 CLSs (N = 165) from all French regions, was developed. A quantitative analysis of the 440 forms identified in 17 CLS computed frequency of involvement of PC actors and/or PC organizations and a qualitative analysis defined typology of interactions. All CLS and 20.1% (n = 86) of the forms involved PC actors and 43.2% (n = 185) concerned access to care. Of the access to care forms, 35.7% (n = 66) concerned PC. The most common strategies related to actions on the health workforce and on planning of services. The role of primary care professionals was as the target of the action and rarely as leader and partner. PC, mostly GP’s involvement, had a big place and access to care was at the core of local health contracts. The impact of CLS as an instrument to invite interaction public health and healthcare at the local level should be further assessed. Key messages Many of the local access to care actions involved primary care professionals. The local level appears strategic to integrate public health and health services yet more evidence is needed on its role.

Optimal public health intervention in a behavioural vaccination model: the interplay between seasonality, behaviour and latency period

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-324
Author(s):  
Bruno Buonomo ◽  
Rossella Della Marca ◽  
Alberto d’Onofrio
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Minimum Principle ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Latency Period ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Optimal Time ◽  
The Impact

AbstractHesitancy and refusal of vaccines preventing childhood diseases are spreading due to ‘pseudo-rational’ behaviours: parents overweigh real and imaginary side effects of vaccines. Nonetheless, the ‘Public Health System’ (PHS) may enact public campaigns to favour vaccine uptake. To determine the optimal time profiles for such campaigns, we apply the optimal control theory to an extension of the susceptible-infectious-removed (SIR)-based behavioural vaccination model by d’Onofrio et al. (2012, PLoS ONE, 7, e45653). The new model is of susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) type under seasonal fluctuations of the transmission rate. Our objective is to minimize the total costs of the disease: the disease burden, the vaccination costs and a less usual cost: the economic burden to enact the PHS campaigns. We apply the Pontryagin minimum principle and numerically explore the impact of seasonality, human behaviour and latency rate on the control and spread of the target disease. We focus on two noteworthy case studies: the low (resp. intermediate) relative perceived risk of vaccine side effects and relatively low (resp. very low) speed of imitation. One general result is that seasonality may produce a remarkable impact on PHS campaigns aimed at controlling, via an increase of the vaccination uptake, the spread of a target infectious disease. In particular, a higher amplitude of the seasonal variation produces a higher effort and this, in turn, beneficially impacts the induced vaccine uptake since the larger is the strength of seasonality, the longer the vaccine propensity remains large. However, such increased effort is not able to fully compensate the action of seasonality on the prevalence.

scholarly journals The prevalence of scabies in Monrovia, Liberia: A population-based survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. e0008943
Author(s):  
Shelui Collinson ◽  
Joseph Timothy ◽  
Samuel K. Zayzay ◽  
Karsor K. Kollie ◽  
Eglantine Lebas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Local Health ◽  
The Impact

Scabies is known to be a public health problem in many settings but the majority of recent data is from rural settings in the Pacific. There is a need for high quality data from sub-Saharan Africa and peri-urban settings to inform scale up of scabies control efforts. There have been anecdotal reports of scabies being a public health problem in Liberia but robust data are lacking. We conducted a cross-sectional cluster-randomised prevalence survey for scabies in a peri-urban community in Monrovia, Liberia in February-March 2020. Participants underwent a standardised examination conducted by trained local health care workers. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using age-appropriate versions of the dermatology life quality index (DLQI). Prevalence estimates were calculated accounting for clustering at community and household levels and associations with key demographic variables assessed through multivariable random-effects logistic regression. 1,318 participants from 477 households were surveyed. The prevalence of scabies was 9.3% (95% CI: 6.5–13.2%), across 75 (19.7%) households; impetigo or infected scabies prevalence was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4–1.9%). The majority (52%) of scabies cases were classified as severe. Scabies prevalence was lower in females and higher in the youngest age group; no associations were found with other collected demographic or socio-economic variables. DLQI scores indicated a very or extremely large effect on HRQoL in 29% of adults and 18% of children diagnosed with scabies. Our study indicates a substantial burden of scabies in this peri-urban population in Liberia. This was associated with significant impact on quality of life, highlighting the need for action to control scabies in this population. Further work is needed to assess the impact of interventions in this context on both the prevalence of scabies and quality of life.

scholarly journals The Role of Sense of Coherence and Social Capital on Perceived Risk: The Salutogenic Model Approach on Flood Survivors in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 884 (1) ◽  
pp. 012017
Author(s):  
H Maulana ◽  
G Gumelar ◽  
G Irianda
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Sense Of Coherence ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Social Trust ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Risk Dimensions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Flood Risk Perception

Abstract The study of flood risk perception has been received growing attention in multi-disciplinary research and practice. Indonesia’s government approach on managing the impact of flood is highly dependence on structural engineering solutions. Few empirical attempts have systematically established to understand whether positive psychological capacity strategy helps flood survivors to overcome the negative impact of flood. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of salutogenic and social capital models on flood risk perception. A national survey was used to collect the data of flood survivors across Indonesia. A battery comprising socio-demographic information, measures of salutogenic variable (sense of coherence), social capital (sense of community and social trust), and individual risk perception on flood was administered to the Indonesian adult (N = 194). This study findings showed that the overall model successfully predicted the perceived risk dimensions. However, different routes of correlation across variables were identified. Discussion and future recommendation are presented with regard to the study finding.

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