scholarly journals Policy Implications for Controlling Communicable Diseases in Indigenous Communities: Case of Strongyloidiasis in Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Miller ◽  
Michelle L Smith ◽  
Jenni A Judd ◽  
Rick Speare
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Strongyloides Stercoralis ◽  
Institutional Racism ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Prevention Policy

The objective of this paper is to document the knowledge and experiences of healthcare professionals and researchers in Australia about the barriers to controlling Strongyloides stercoralis in Australian Indigenous communities. Qualitative research methods were used to conduct in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were digitally recorded, transcribed, and participant-checked. Data were thematically analysed to identify significant themes. Five major themes were identified:1)    Barriers to health/treatment;2)    Access to healthcare;3)    Policy;4)    Learning opportunity; and5)    Ideas for intervention.The findings suggest that Australian Indigenous communities will continue to suffer increased morbidity and mortality due to a lack of control or prevention of Strongyloides stercoralis. Issues such as institutional racism, improvements to health promotion, education, socioeconomic determinants, and health care system policy and procedures need to be addressed. This study identifies several direct implications for Indigenous health:The need for increased knowledge and understanding of the risks to health for Indigenous community members;The need for prevention policy development for neglected tropical diseases in Indigenous communities;The need for increased knowledge and understanding of the treatment, diagnosis, and healthcare access concerning Strongyloides stercoralis for health professionals and policymakers who work within Indigenous health;The need to raise awareness of systematic institutional racism in the control and prevention of neglected tropical diseases in Indigenous communities; andThe need for a health promotion framework that can provide the basis for multiple-level interventions to control and prevent Strongyloides in Indigenous communities.

Schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis and Chagas disease: the leading imported neglected tropical diseases in Italy

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Zammarchi ◽  
Federico Gobbi ◽  
Andrea Angheben ◽  
Michele Spinicci ◽  
Dora Buonfrate ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chagas Disease ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Agar Plate ◽  
Strongyloides Stercoralis ◽  
Stool Culture ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
National Policies ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background In recent years, an increasing number of individuals affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have been observed in Italy, due to migration, international travels and climate changes. Reliable data on the current NTD epidemiology in Italy and the health system preparedness on this issue are not available. Methods We report the results of a survey on selected NTDs (schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis, echinococcosis, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, cysticercosis, filariasis and scabies) in nine Italian sentinel centres, in order to investigate their occurrence throughout the country and identify which ones are a priority for public health interventions, development of protocols for case management, and training activities. To explore the preparedness of the centres, we investigate the availability of specific diagnostic tools and drugs, needed for the management of the most common NTDs. We also reviewed and summarized the available national policies, recommendations and guidelines on NTDs in Italy. Results Overall, 4123 NTDs cases were diagnosed in nine Italian centres within a 7-year period (2011–2017). Schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis were the most common NTDs, accounting for about one-third each of all the diagnosed cases, followed by Chagas disease. The number of cases showed a significant trend to increase over time, mainly due to foreign-born subjects. Serology for Schistosoma spp. and Strongyloides stercoralis was available in seven and five centres, respectively. Agar plate stool culture for S. stercoralis was available in three sites. Ivermectin and praziquantel were always available in six centres. Six national policies, recommendations and guidelines documents were available, but for the most part, they are not fully implemented yet. Conclusions This survey showed how some NTDs, such as schistosomiasis and strongyloidiasis, are becoming more common in Italy, due to multiple components. A list of seven key actions was proposed, in order to improve diagnosis, management and control of NTDs in Italy.

The Latin America and the Caribbean search strategy proposal

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 60-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eloy F. Ruiz ◽  
Alvaro Proaño ◽  
Diego Proaño ◽  
Junior Smith Torres-Román ◽  
J. Jaime Miranda
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Important Public Health ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Public Health Literature

Latin America and the Caribbean’s public health literature is not widely recognized. Science in this region has even been compared to a night sky with just a few specks of light. To make those lights as reachable as possible, we developed the Latin America and the Caribbean Search Strategy (LACSS). This is a new method to utilize our region’s health promotion results within MEDLINE/PubMed. In contrast to a typical MeSH query, LACSS retrieves up to six times more publication results regarding non-communicable diseases, neglected tropical diseases, injuries and other important public health relevant topics in the region. We believe that global health promotion will be improved in this region by improving its visibility, and this search strategy will contribute to this.

Are insights from Indigenous health shaping a paradigm shift in health promotion praxis in Australia?

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Crouch ◽  
Patricia Fagan
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Community Control ◽  
Future Health ◽  
New Approach ◽  
The Social ◽  
Funding Cuts ◽  
Policy Shifts

Health promotion really is at a cross-road. Traditionally guided by the Ottawa Charter, it has been thought of as principle-guided actions, processes and technique, as well as outcomes or results. Health promotion has been characterised by its products and some even call it theory. In Australia, public funding for health promotion has, for many years, shaped its practice into behaviour change interventions. However, governments around the country are reconsidering their investments, evidenced by ideologically motivated policy shifts and associated substantial funding cuts. Recently, themes of empowerment, community control and community agency have emerged as new directions for future health promotion praxis and reports of activism-based approaches that seek to mobilise community energies around sexual health inequity have started to appear in the literature. Noting parallel developments in the social determinants and social change discourses, this paper posits that cutting edge health promotion efforts by Indigenous communities in Australia are shaping a new approach with potentially global application.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic towards Common Neglected Tropical Diseases among Indigenous Group in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehru Nisha ◽  
Muhammad Alif Naim ◽  
Fabian Davamani
Keyword(s):  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Orang Asli ◽  
Minority Community ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Indigenous Group ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
The World ◽  
Infection Monitoring

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 is a pandemic which heavily affected all walks of around the world. Whilst all people are affected could be from to job losses, increase in poverty, sudden death of family member or loved ones and so many others, the indigenous communities in Malaysia do face severity of the Covid 19 pandemic effect. As being the minority community with lack of proper income, lack of education and incapable of adjusting themselves to new norm and living in areas with high prevalence of disease for the poor, like neglected tropical diseases- the overall impact of Covid 19 showed inequalities for the Indigenous (Orang Asli) community in Malaysia. Here we discuss on some of the challenges faced by Orang Asli community in Malaysia and how the pandemic hampered neglected tropical diseases like STHs infection monitoring in Malaysia.

scholarly journals Disease ecology, health and the environment: a framework to account for ecological and socio-economic drivers in the control of neglected tropical diseases

2017 ◽  
Vol 372 (1722) ◽  
pp. 20160128 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Garchitorena ◽  
S. H. Sokolow ◽  
B. Roche ◽  
C. N. Ngonghala ◽  
M. Jocque ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Ecology ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Buruli Ulcer ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Relative Role ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Modelling Framework ◽  
Environmental Reservoir

Reducing the burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is one of the key strategic targets advanced by the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the unprecedented effort deployed for NTD elimination in the past decade, their control, mainly through drug administration, remains particularly challenging: persistent poverty and repeated exposure to pathogens embedded in the environment limit the efficacy of strategies focused exclusively on human treatment or medical care. Here, we present a simple modelling framework to illustrate the relative role of ecological and socio-economic drivers of environmentally transmitted parasites and pathogens. Through the analysis of system dynamics, we show that periodic drug treatments that lead to the elimination of directly transmitted diseases may fail to do so in the case of human pathogens with an environmental reservoir. Control of environmentally transmitted diseases can be more effective when human treatment is complemented with interventions targeting the environmental reservoir of the pathogen. We present mechanisms through which the environment can influence the dynamics of poverty via disease feedbacks. For illustration, we present the case studies of Buruli ulcer and schistosomiasis, two devastating waterborne NTDs for which control is particularly challenging. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Conservation, biodiversity and infectious disease: scientific evidence and policy implications’.

scholarly journals Phylogenetic Positioning of a Strongyloides stercoralis Isolate Recovered from a Korean Patient and Comparison with Other Asian Isolates

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 689-694
Author(s):  
Jaeho Bae ◽  
Mi Jin Jeong ◽  
Dong hoon Shin ◽  
Hyun Woo Kim ◽  
Sung Ho Ahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genomic Dna ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Strongyloides Stercoralis ◽  
Wall Thickening ◽  
Korean Isolate ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Retroperitoneal Lymph Node ◽  
Korean Patient ◽  
Descending Colon

Strongyloidiasis is caused by <i>Strongyloides stercoralis</i> and is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in tropical and subtropical regions. Although several strongyloidiasis cases have been reported in Korea, genetic analysis of Korean isolates is still incomplete. In this study, a parasite was isolated from a 61-year-old man diagnosed with strongyloidiasis during the treatment of lymphoma on his retroperitoneal lymph node. Diffuse symmetric wall thickening from the ascending to descending colon and a nematode-infected intestine was observed following microscopic examination. Genomic DNA was isolated from a patient tissue block, and <i>S. stercoralis</i> was identified by PCR and sequencing (18S rDNA). In order to determine phylogenetic location of a Korean isolate (named KS1), we analyzed <i>cox</i>1 gene (500-bp) and compared it with that from 47 previous <i>S. stercoralis</i> isolates (28 human isolates and 19 canid isolates) from Asian countries. Our results showed that phylogenetic tree could clearly be divided into 5 different groups according to hosts and regions. KS1 was most closely related with the Chinese isolates in terms of genetic distance.

scholarly journals An Analysis of Journey Mapping to Create a Palliative Care Pathway in a Canadian First Nations Community: Implications for Service Integration and Policy Development

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 117822421771944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Koski ◽  
Mary Lou Kelley ◽  
Shevaun Nadin ◽  
Maxine Crow ◽  
Holly Prince ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Care Pathway ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Service Integration ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Nations Community

Providing palliative care in Indigenous communities is of growing international interest. This study describes and analyzes a unique journey mapping process undertaken in a First Nations community in rural Canada. The goal of this participatory action research was to improve quality and access to palliative care at home by better integrating First Nations’ health services and urban non-Indigenous health services. Four journey mapping workshops were conducted to create a care pathway which was implemented with 6 clients. Workshop data were analyzed for learnings and promising practices. A follow-up focus group, workshop, and health care provider surveys identified the perceived benefits as improved service integration, improved palliative care, relationship building, communication, and partnerships. It is concluded that journey mapping improves service integration and is a promising practice for other First Nations communities. The implications for creating new policy to support developing culturally appropriate palliative care programs and cross-jurisdictional integration between the federal and provincial health services are discussed. Future research is required using an Indigenous paradigm.

scholarly journals Increased Indigenous Participation in Environmental Decision-Making: A Policy Analysis for the Improvement of Indigenous Health

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerry Black ◽  
Edward McBean
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Social Determinant ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Environmental Decision Making ◽  
Indigenous Participation ◽  
Environmental Decision

Improving the physical environment and Indigenous participation in environmental decision-making is inherently related to the improvement of health among Indigenous Peoples. Improving the state of the physical environment necessitates increased involvement by Indigenous communities in decision-making and policy development. This involvement must integrate local traditional knowledge (TK) as an important tool in the decolonization of environmental decision-making, and a necessary step towards the improvement of Indigenous health. With a focus on the physical environment as a social determinant of Indigenous health, this article highlights the need for increased Indigenous participation in the decision-making process on environmental issues and proposes a framework to accomplish this outcome. Indigenous-centred policy frameworks should include the following five key principles: (a) the recognition of Indigenous knowledge, (b) the recognition of the inherent right to self-determination, (c) the use of an inclusive and integrative knowledge system, (d) the use of community-based participatory approaches, and (e) the use of circular and holistic viewpoints.

scholarly journals Nudge strategies for behavior-based prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases: a scoping review and ethical assessment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Vande Velde ◽  
Hans J. Overgaard ◽  
Sheri Bastien
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Ethical Assessment ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Behavior Based ◽  
And Control

AbstractBackgroundNudging, a strategy that uses subtle stimuli to direct people’s behavior, has recently been included as effective and low-cost behavior change strategy in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC), targeting behavior-based prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Therefore, the present scoping review aims to provide a timely overview of how nudge interventions have been applied within health promotion research, with a specific focus on the prevention and control of NTDs. In addition, the review proposes a framework for the ethical reflection of nudges for behavior-based prevention and control of NTDs, or more broadly global health promotion.MethodsA comprehensive search was performed in the following databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, ERIC and Econ.Lit (EBSCO), as well as registered trials and reviews in CENTRAL and PROSPERO to identify ongoing or unpublished studies. Additionally, studies were included through a handpicked search on websites of governmental nudge units and global health or development organizations. A PRISMA flow diagram was used to elaborate on the number of articles retrieved, retained, excluded and reasons for every action.ResultsThis scoping review of studies implementing nudge strategies for behavior-based prevention and control of NTDs identified 33 studies and a total of 67 nudge-type interventions. Most nudges targeted handwashing behavior and were focused on general health practices rather than targeting a disease in specific. The most common nudge techniques were those targeting decision assistance, such as facilitating commitment and reminder actions. The ethical assessment presented favorable results, certainly regarding the health benefits of the included nudges and the trust relationship for the implementers.ConclusionTwo key recommendations that should inform future research when implementing nudge strategies in global health promotion in general. Firstly, aim for the application of robust study designs including rigorous process and impact evaluation which allow for a better understanding of ‘what works’ and ‘how it works’. Secondly, consider the ethical implications of implementing nudge strategies, specifically in LMIC.

scholarly journals Nudge strategies for behavior-based prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases: A scoping review and ethical assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0009239
Author(s):  
Fiona Vande Velde ◽  
Hans J. Overgaard ◽  
Sheri Bastien
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Neglected Tropical Diseases ◽  
Tropical Diseases ◽  
Ethical Assessment ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Behavior Based ◽  
And Control

Background Nudging, a strategy that uses subtle stimuli to direct people’s behavior, has recently been included as an effective and low-cost behavior change strategy in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC), targeting behavior-based prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The present scoping review aims to provide a timely overview of how nudge interventions have been applied within this field. In addition, the review proposes a framework for the ethical consideration of nudges for NTD prevention and control, or more broadly global health promotion. Methods A comprehensive search was performed in several databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, ERIC and Econ.Lit (EBSCO), as well as registered trials and reviews in CENTRAL and PROSPERO to identify ongoing or unpublished studies. Additionally, studies were included through a handpicked search on websites of governmental nudge units and global health or development organizations. Results This scoping review identified 33 relevant studies, with only two studies targeting NTDs in particular, resulting in a total of 67 nudge strategies. Most nudges targeted handwashing behavior and were focused on general health practices rather than targeting a specific disease in particular. The most common nudge strategies were those targeting decision assistance, such as facilitating commitment and reminder actions. The majority of nudges were of moderate to high ethical standards, with the highest standards being those that had the most immediate and significant health benefits, and those implemented by agents in a trust relationship with the target audience. Conclusion Three key recommendations should inform research investigating nudge strategies in global health promotion in general. Firstly, future efforts should investigate the different opportunities that nudges present for targeting NTDs in particular, rather than relying solely on integrated health promotion approaches. Secondly, to apply robust study designs including rigorous process and impact evaluation which allow for a better understanding of ‘what works’ and ‘how it works’. Finally, to consider the ethical implications of implementing nudge strategies, specifically in LMIC.

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