Willingness to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine among Residents of Slum Settlements

Slum residents are more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. Without a specific treatment, vaccination became the main strategy against COVID-19. In this study, we determined the rate and factors associated with the willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 among slum residents and their main reasons associated with the vaccine intention. The study was conducted in Pau da Lima, a slum community in Salvador Brazil. In total, 985 residents were interviewed. Among them 66.0% (650/985) were willing to get vaccinated, 26.1% (257/985) were hesitant to take the vaccine and 7.9% (78/285) were not sure. The main reasons cited for vaccine hesitancy or being unsure were concerns about vaccine efficacy and potential side effects. In contrast, the main reasons cited for wanting the vaccine were the high incidence of COVID-19 cases and participants’ self-perception of their own health history. Multivariate analysis identified that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was associated with younger age and low social capital, summarized as low perceived importance of vaccination to protect one’s family, friends and community. Slum residents have been less willing to vaccinate than the general population. Social capital presents a critical opportunity in the design of communication campaigns to increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in slum settings.

Social Capital: Higher Resilience in Slums in the Lagos Metropolis

Different slums exhibit different levels of resilience against the threat of eviction. However, little is known about the role of the social capital of the slum community in this context. This study investigates the factors contributing to slum resilience in the Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria, through a social capital lens. This study first investigates land allocation in slums, then the available social capital, and subsequently how this capital influences resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Data were collected in two slum communities, in Lagos, through in-depth interviews and focus groups discussion. This study shows that land allocation is done by the traditional heads, contrarily to the mandate of the Nigeria Land Use Act of 1978. Furthermore, there is a form of structural social capital through the presence of government registered community development associations in the slums; however, their activities, decision-making process and the perception of the residents’ towards their respective associations, differs. This led to differences in trust, social cohesion and bonding ties among residents of the slum, thereby influencing resilience to the threat of eviction in slums. Since community group associations, through the appointed executives, drive the efficient utilization of social capital in slums, this study therefore recommends their restructuring in order to support a sustainable solution to the threat of eviction in slums in Lagos.

Child to Child Education Programme: A Model for overall Development of school going Students of Poorer Communities

Quality education is the 4th goal of Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. ‘Child to Child approach’ is based on the idea of children working together with other children to bring about change. Child to Child Education Programme of Community Health Department of a tertiary care hospital was started in 1999 in a slum community. It provided a conducive-atmosphere to students. This has helped in promoting all-round development of children. The aim of this retrospective study is to show the effectiveness of this programme.Method: This retrospective study was conducted from 15th January 2020 to 31st March 2020, in a slum community of Delhi, for 11362 school going children, who have attended CCEd. programme between the years 1999 to 2019. The Secondary Data was collected. It was cleaned, and tabulated with frequency tables and percentages using MS-Excel. The significance and Odd’s ratio were calculated on MedCalc software. Results: Immediate impact of CCEd. on students was seen as the percentage of merit holders increased and was found to be between 5.23% – 13.26%. They were exposed to several Curricular, Extra-curricular, Social & Health Activities during the years they were part of CCEd. The qualifications of alumni of CCEd. programme showed that 116(76.31%) out of 152 are holding either a graduate degree or post graduates degree. The monthly income of alumni showed that a maximum number of alumni [36(23.68%)] earn Rs. 15000- 20000/ per month and some 6(3.95%) earn Rs. >45000-50000/- per month. They had always desired to be at par with other children/students of their age from privileged communities which they have attained in life. They are happy and satisfied.

Adolescent Boys Workshops: Creating Awareness on Various Boys Issues in a Slum and Resettlement Colony in Delhi

Background: Adolescence is the period of growing-up, this phase is characterized by marked and rapid changes: physical, psychological, sexual, socio-economical. There are many workshops and training sessions held for adolescent girls, while the boys in this age group are overlooked. The present study focuses on a series of workshops that were held exclusively for adolescent boys in an urban resettlement colony in Delhi. Method: This retrospective study was conducted from 15th February 2020 to 15th May 2020, in a slum community of Delhi, for 131 adolescent boys, who had attended Adolescent Boys Workshops from February to August 2019. The study was aimed to find out the increase in the awareness and knowledge of adolescent boys who attended these workshops, on various adolescence related topics. Statistical analysis was done in order to obtain mean, median and mode of the test scores. The student T test was applied to find the statistically significant p value. A p-value <0.05 was taken as significant. Result: There was increase in the mean knowledge score from 5.3 to 7.0; t-5.36748, p-value < .00001 in pre and post-tests. 85.5% of the boys had access to mobile phones. It was found that 93 (70.9%) of the participants were underweight. Thirty four (25.9%) were anaemic. Conclusion: The present study has shown that workshops through effective module for adolescent boys are helpful in creating awareness amongst them. Therefore there is a need to address more and more adolescent boys with such kind of workshops.

Status of Household Solid Waste Management and Associated Factors in a Slum Community in Kampala, Uganda

Background. Only a third of the total waste generated in slum communities in Kampala is collected and disposed of to the landfill every month. This study assessed the status of household solid waste management and associated factors in a slum community in Kampala, Uganda. Methods. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study involving 395 households using a semistructured questionnaire and an observational checklist. Proper solid waste management was determined based on possession of waste collection and storage receptacle; collection receptacle ability to minimise nuisances (covered); segregation of waste; presence of flies and other vectors; and collection receptacle fill status. Prevalence rate ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were used as a measure of association. Results. Only, 41.3% (163/395) of the households exhibited proper waste management practices. The majority of the households 85.8% (339/395) owned solid waste storage receptacles, most of which were sacs 61.7% (209/339) and would minimise nuisances 72.9% (245/339). The main type of waste collected was biodegradable materials 56.7% (224/395). The majority of the households 78.7% (311/395) did not segregate their waste. Solid waste was mainly transported to the collection point by pulling the collecting sac 54.4% (215/395). The city authority 73.9% (292/395) and private companies 12.9% (51/395) were the major entities collecting waste. Factors associated with proper waste management were collecting waste in plastic containers (adjusted PR = 1.27, 95% CI (1.04–1.55)), polythene bags (adjusted PR = 0.26, 95% CI (0.14–0.47)), and paper bags or metallic bins (adjusted PR = 0.13, 95% CI (0.03–0.44)) as well as awareness of solid waste management laws (adjusted PR = 1.49, 95% CI (1.20–1.85)) and the dangers of improper solid waste management (adjusted PR = 2.15, 95% CI (1.51–3.06)). Conclusion. Solid waste management was generally poor. As such, a cascade of interventions that address knowledge, physical, and behavioural aspects of solid waste management is required to improve its management in slum communities.

Characteristics of sanitation and hygiene facilities in a slum community in Kampala, Uganda

Background This study assessed characteristics of sanitation and hygiene facilities in a slum community in Kampala, Uganda. Methods We conducted a household-based cross-sectional study among 395 households in Kasubi slum using a semi-structured questionnaire and observational checklist to collect data. Results Almost 98.0% (387/395) of households owned a sanitation facility and 77.0% (298/387) shared it with other households. The most common type of sanitation facility was a pit latrine with slab (66.9% [259/387]). Most (90.5% [305/337]) latrines had a door or shutter, a roof (92.9% [313/337]) and a depth &gt;1.5 m (68.2% [229/337]). Overall, 21.3% (84/395) and 65.6% (259/395) of households had improved and functional sanitation facilities, respectively. Only 16.5% (65/395) of the households had a hand-washing facility. Student-led (adjusted prevalence rate [PR] 2.67 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83–3.94]) and households that owned their house (adjusted PR 2.17 [95% CI 1.33–3.53]) were 2.67 and 2.17 times more likely to have improved sanitation facilities, respectively. Households that owned their house (adjusted PR 1.90 [95% CI 1.18–3.05]) were 1.9 times more likely to possess a hand-washing facility. Conclusions The coverage of improved sanitation and hygiene facilities was low. The majority of households were using a shared pit latrine with a slab that had no hand-washing facility. Sanitation and hygiene interventions should prioritize improving sanitation and hygiene facilities.

Leptospira yasudae sp. nov. and Leptospira stimsonii sp. nov., two new species of the pathogenic group isolated from environmental sources

Four spirochetes (F1T, B21, YaleT and AMB6-RJ) were isolated from environmental sources: F1T and B21 from soils of an urban slum community in Salvador (Brazil), YaleT from river water in New Haven, Connecticut (USA) and AMB6-RJ from a pond in a horse farm in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Isolates were helix-shaped, aerobic, highly motile and non-virulent in a hamster model of infection. Draft genomes of the strains were obtained and analysed to determine the relatedness to other species of the genus Leptospira . The analysis of 498 core genes showed that strains F1T/B21 and YaleT/AMB6-RJ formed two distinct phylogenetic clades within the ‘Pathogens’ group (group I). The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of strains F1T/B21 and YaleT/AMB6-RJ to other previously described Leptospira species were below <84 % and <82 %, respectively, which confirmed that these isolates should be classified as representatives of two novel species. Therefore, we propose Leptospira yasudae sp. nov. and Leptospira stimsonii sp. nov. as new species in the genus Leptospira . The type strains are F1T (=ATCC-TSD-163=KIT0259=CLEP00287) and YaleT (=ATCC-TDS-162=KIT0258=CLEP00288), respectively.