International Public Health Commons^™

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases In The Time Of Covid, Thaddeus Zajdowicz, Margan Zajdowicz

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Spread In Europe: The Soccer Connection, Bibodh J. Karki, Raghava S. Ambadapoodi, Zahid Imran, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: Mass gatherings, such as sports events, are potential causes of the rapid spread of COVID-19 infection. Millions of soccer fans travel across Europe every week. With the world’s most popular leagues continuing play until the second week of March 2020, we hypothesize that a correlation exists between the number of people attending the soccer league games in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and the UK and the increasing number of cases of COVID-19 in these countries during the ongoing epidemic.

Methods: We calculated the total number of attendees in the five major soccer leagues from the popular sports websites and …

Lessons From A Five-Year Research Programme On Fgm/C And Their Relevance For Policy And Programmes In Kenya, Dennis Matanda, Agnes K. Meroka-Mutua, Samuel Kimani

Reproductive Health

The Sustainable Development Goals target the elimination of all forms of harmful practices, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) by 2030. Kenya has made progress in addressing the elimination of FGM/C through ratification of global instruments and enactment of the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2011 and other supportive laws. The Act created the foundation for the establishment of the Anti-FGM Board, which provides policy leadership and coordination of anti-FGM/C programs in Kenya. More recently, the President of Kenya issued a decree for accelerated elimination of FGM/C by 2022. This synthesis report highlights how evidence generated over the last five years …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Nutrition In Bihar, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

An extended nationwide lockdown and stoppage of economic activities resulting from COVID-19 caused substantial loss of income for many families in Bihar, India. One of the significant implications is a food shortage in households and a reduction in food intake. This nutrition shock may hit females harder than males due to the deep-rooted gendered culture prevalent in India. This study's key objectives are to understand the extent of food shortage in households, any changes in food intake, and coverage of government nutrition schemes. Half of the households in Bihar reported food shortages in the past month, causing most to reduce …

Self-Help Groups: A Potential Pivot Of Bihar's Response To Covid-19, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

More than 10 million women in Bihar, India, are members of women’s self-help groups (SHGs), run by the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society, Government of Bihar. The SHGs play a crucial role in the community by providing livelihood support and income-generating activities to their members. The key objectives of this study are to document SHG leaders’ engagement in community awareness and infection-prevention activities and the extent of support they give to their members through different funds and loans for livelihoods and income generation during the COVID-19 pandemic. About half of the SHG leaders were engaged in COVID-19–related community-awareness and prevention …

Covid-19 Times: Study Protocol For Rapid Assessment Of The Situation Of Women And Children In Bihar, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

India reported its first COVID-19 case on January 30, 2020, and numbers began to rise in late March 2020. The containment measures implemented by the national and state governments, particularly the nationwide lockdown, have helped keep the COVID-19 pandemic at a relatively low level in India. Bihar, being one of the poorest states in India, is at particularly high risk of adverse health and economic effects of COVID-19 and the lockdown. The Population Council Institute, in partnership with UNICEF Bihar, is conducting a rapid longitudinal study that aims to inform the design and development of locally relevant suitable response mechanisms …

Returning Home: Effects Of Covid-19 On Migrant Households In Bihar, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Many migrants from metropolitan cities in India began to return to their native homes with the rise in COVID-19 cases in the cities and the extension of the lockdown. With relaxation of travel restrictions, Bihar started receiving migrants who were returning home. The government made arrangements for them to be quarantined before they traveled to their villages and homes. The key objectives of this study are to understand the extent of return migration, the impact of lockdown on migrant household livelihoods, and the opportunities for household economic revival through social protection schemes. Among migrant households, about half may experience return …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Livelihood, Employment, And Financial Resources, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

COVID-19 and steps to break the chain of viral transmission led to certain economic challenges that triggered loss in livelihoods and income and constraints on financial resources in Bihar, India. Often, these effects were disproportionately experienced among the most marginalized. The key objective of this study is to assess the loss of income, livelihoods, and jobs among households in Bihar to help with program planning and implementation. Data were gathered May 13–22, 2020, from the existing study cohort of households under the UDAYA study. Interviews were conducted with a total of 794 participant households. About four-fifths of respondents said their …

Are More People Adopting Covid-19 Prevention Measures?, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Drawing on data from two rounds of COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) telephone surveys conducted in Bihar, India, this research brief sheds light on the socioeconomic differentials and changes over time in the adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures. Though the adoption of preventive measures has increased, around two-fifths of males and one-quarter of females reported that they were currently practicing all four standard preventive measures. The better educated, wealthier, and those belonging to privileged castes were more likely than others to practice these measures, as were those who perceived moderate or high risk of COVID-19 in their neighborhood. Social …

Awareness Of And Receiving Social Protection Measures During Covid-19 Lockdown In Bihar, India, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Economic hardships caused by the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been reported across India. Social protection measures have been announced by the state and central governments to ease these hardships. The key objectives of this research brief are to examine the awareness and the social protection measures received during the COVID-19 lockdown in Bihar, and the socioeconomic differentials in receiving these measures. The majority of respondents (64%) reported a family member losing their job/income-earning opportunity and lacking resources to survive for long. Awareness of social protection schemes was high (88%). Among households, 68% reported having ration …

Demand For And Access To Family Planning Services Among Young Married Women During Covid-19 Crisis, Unicef, Population Council Institute

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In Bihar, India, as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown and men returning home in large numbers and spending more time at home in high stress conditions, the need for contraceptive services could get greater. March to May are considered the “lean season” when demand is typically low for family planning (FP) programs in states like Bihar. However, higher demand caused by the lockdown and lack of access to health facilities has created a gap between demand and uptake. This could have negative consequences such as high numbers of unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal mortality. Current use of modern …

Important Lessons On Fgm/C Abandonment From Four Research Studies In Egypt, Nada Wahba, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Abeer Salem

Reproductive Health

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) continues to be a widespread practice in Egypt. According to the 2014 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey, the prevalence of FGM/C was 92 percent among ever-married women aged 15–49. However, Egypt continues to witness a drastic surge in the medicalization of FGM/C, with 74 percent of women aged 19 years and younger circumcised by medical practitioners, compared to 55 percent in 1995. This policy brief provides key results and recommendations of four studies conducted by the Population Council/ Egypt under the Evidence to End FGM/C project, in coordination with Egypt’s National Population Council. The four studies …

Commentary: Using Law More Effectively Towards Abandonment Of Fgm/C In Kenya, Agnes K. Meroka-Mutua

Reproductive Health

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is considered a harmful cultural practice and a form of violence against women. Kenya has an FGM/C prevalence rate of 21 percent, but levels vary by ethnic group. Kenya has adopted a robust legal framework for the prohibition of FGM/C, including passage of the Prohibition of FGM Act in 2011, a detailed law that criminalizes carrying out FGM/C and associated offenses. Kenya relies on the human rights–based approach and criminalization in its legal framework for the prohibition of this practice. Despite extensive legal provisions, Kenya has prosecuted fewer than 100 cases, raising concerns with the law’s …

Proximity To Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care And The Utilization Of Facility-Based Delivery Services Across Six Low-And-Middle Income Countries, Chioma T. Amadi

Dissertations and Theses

Background: More than 90% of maternal deaths occur in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) and are largely attributed to preventable pregnancy-related causes. Comprehensive emergency obstetric care (EmOC), also known as signal functions, is the most effective life-saving intervention for managing obstetric and newborn emergencies. Health facilities offering delivery services are generally classified as having either comprehensive, basic or less than basic EmOC capacity based on their obstetric resources. Multiple EmOC methods are regularly utilized in characterizing facility obstetric capacity and this introduces inconsistencies that pose significant public health and policy implications for access to delivery care among women within a service environment. …

The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats (Swot) Analysis Of The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Of Covid-19, Michael Oluyemi Babalola Ph.D

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a highly contagious, emergent, acute, viral pneumonia that emanated sporadically in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 became a pandemic in February 2020, leading to 4,942,687 confirmed cases and over 321,987 deaths and grounding several economies around the world as of May 2020. Although global researchers, epidemiologists, virologists, and medical professionals rose steadily to contain the disease, in-depth knowledge of the virus and concerted efforts to combat it are still evolving. This research sought to elucidate the biological Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to SARS-CoV-2, with a view to …

False-Negative Sars-Cov-2 Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (Rt-Pcr) Is An Important Consideration For Patient Management And Infection Prevention: A Case Report From The Louisville Covid-19 Epidemiology Study, Matthew Song Pharmd, Bcidp, Ashley M. Wilde, Sarah E. Moore Pharmd, Brian C. Bohn Pharmd, Clayton J. Patross, Bryan Denham, Paul Schulz, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

We report a case of false-negative SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on a nasopharyngeal swab. Treating clinicians and infection preventionists should maintain a high suspicion for COVID-19 in the appropriate clinical setting despite negative test results. Utilization of chest computed tomography (CT) should be strongly considered in the diagnostic work-up for suspected COVID-19, particularly in areas with limited RT-PCR availability.

Concomitant Invasive Pneumococcal Disease In A Patient With Covid-19 – A Case Report From The Louisville Epidemiology Study, Clayton J. Patross, Brian C. Bohn Pharmd, Sarah E. Moore Pharmd, Paul Schulz, Matthew Song Pharmd, Bcidp, Ashley M. Wilde, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

A 60-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with a 1–2 day history of confusion, headache, and subjective fever. Because he had met with a contact two days prior to admission who had recently traveled from the Bahamas, a COVID-19 nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was ordered. He was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis based on presenting neurologic symptoms and the identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae from blood cultures. The COVID-19 NP and OP test returned positive, although he never developed shortness of breath, cough, other respiratory symptoms, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or any change …

Whims (Washing Hands, Immunity Boost, Masking & Social Distancing), Srinivasan Ragothaman

Creative Work

This is a shot poem about preventing the spread of Covid-19. It pleads general public to wear masks, wash hands, social distance, and boost immunity. It is set to a popular tune in Hindi - Dil Ke Jharoke Mein.

A Comparison Efficacy Study Of Commercial Nasopharyngeal Swabs Versus A Novel 3d Printed Swab For The Detection Of Sars-Cov-2, Forest W. Arnold, Gerald Grant, Phillip F. Bressoud, Stephen P. Furmanek, Donghoon Chung, Nadine Sbaih, Dipan Karmali, Meredith Cahill, George Pantalos

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Introduction: The large volume of diagnostic tests required by the response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a shortage of commercial nasopharyngeal swabs. In an effort to alleviate the shortage, swabs created by 3D printing may be a solution.

Methods: We designed and produced 3D printed swabs and sought to compare their ability to detect SARS-CoV-2 in patients admitted for COVID-19 or who were suspected of having COVID-19.

Results: A total of 30 patients were swabbed with a commercial and a 3D printed swab. Results matched in 27 of 30 patients (90%). Two patients were discordant with a positive commercial …

Twenty Year Economic Impacts Of Deworming, Joan Hamory, Michael Kremer, Edward Miguel, Sarah J. Baird, Michael W. Walker

Global Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Conocimientos, Actitudes Y Prácticas Relacionadas A La Pandemia Del Covid-19 En Comunidades Indígenas De Yucatán Y Chiapas, Isabel Vieitez Martínez, Silvana Larrea, Fabiola Romero, Ludivine Cicolella

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

La Organización Mundial de la Salud ha recientemente indicado su preocupación sobre el mayor impacto que está teniendo y tendrá la pandemia por Covid-19 en la población indígena de América Latina. Aún cuando los resultados del presente estudio no sean representativos de toda la población indígena que vive en los municipios de Chiapas y Yucatán donde se realizó la encuesta, consideramos que los datos pueden identificar dimensiones que necesitan estudiarse a mayor detalle. También pueden guiar algunas de las acciones de las organizaciones locales que trabajan en estas comunidades, señalando áreas de oportunidad con respecto a conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas, …

Building Assets For Humanitarian Settings, Women's Refugee Commission, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This document is the Women’s Refugee Commission and the Population Council’s adaptation of the Building Assets Toolkit and its core activity, the Asset Exercise, for use in humanitarian contexts. An asset-building exercise is a thoughtful way to build intentional program content for girls to determine what assets they need in order to survive and thrive. This is particularly important for programs intended to reach the poorest girls in the poorest communities based on sound evidence on the reality of their lives. The Council’s Building Assets Toolkit is rooted in this exercise, helping practitioners, policymakers, and advocates build tailored, meaningful, …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Community Ownership Of A Maternity Waiting Home Model In Rural Zambia, Constance P. Fontanet Mph, Rachel M. Fong, Jeanette L. Kaiser, Misheck Bwalya, Thandiwe Ngoma, Taryn Vian, Godfrey Biemba, Nancy A. Scott

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Context

Ownership is an important construct of sustainability for community-based health programming, though it is often not clearly defined or measured. We implemented and evaluated a community-driven maternity waiting home (MWH) model in rural Zambia. We engaged stakeholders at all levels and provided intensive mentorship to an MWH governance committee comprised of community-selected members. We then examined how different stakeholders perceive community ownership of the MWH.

Methods

We conducted 42 focus group discussions with community stakeholders (pregnant women, fathers, elders, and community health volunteers) and 161 in-depth interviews with MWH stakeholders (health facility staff, district health officials, and MWH governance …

How Much Can Mexican Healthcare Providers Learn About Breastfeeding Through A Semi-Virtual Training? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis, Mireya Vilar-Compte, Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Meztli Moncada, Diana Flores

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Mexico has shown a worrisome decrease in breastfeeding indicators, especially in the lowest socioeconomic level. Improving breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support services through workforce development is a key area of intervention. The objective of this study is to assess the influence on breastfeeding knowledge and abilities of a semi-virtual training for primary healthcare providers assisting beneficiaries of PROSPERA in Mexico, which is one of the largest conditional cash-transfer programs in the world. Methods: Two independent cross-sectional samples of healthcare providers were drawn at baseline and post-intervention in three states of Mexico. Baseline data were collected among primary physicians, registered …

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Review Of Laws And Policies In Kenya And Nigeria, Samuel Kimani, Otibho Obianwu

Reproductive Health

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a cultural practice that has health and human rights impacts on girls and women. The health sector has responsibility for prevention and response to provision of care services to women/girls with FGM/C-related complications. The mandate for the health sector response to FGM/C is anchored in nationwide or sector-specific legal/policy instruments. Kenya and Nigeria have ratified global legal/policy instruments and adopted WHO guidelines/tools for the prevention and management of FGM/C. The extent to which existing legal/policy documents in these two countries address prevention and response to management of FGM/C has been unclear. A desk review was …

Appendices—Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Review Of Laws And Policies In Kenya And Nigeria, Samuel Kimani, Otibho Obianwu

Reproductive Health

This document contains Appendices to “Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Review of Laws and Policies in Kenya and Nigeria.” Appendix 1 contains two tables: “Components of Kenyan Laws Related to FGM/C Prevention and Management,” and “Components of Nigerian Laws Related to FGM/C Prevention and Management.” Appendix 2 contains seven tables: “Components Relevant to Health Sector Response to Prevention and Management of FGM/C in Kenyan Policies,” “Components Relevant to Health Sector Response to Prevention and Management of FGM/C in Nigerian Policies,” “Components Relevant to Health Sector Response to Prevention and Management of FGM/C in the Kenyan Plans of Action,” “Components Relevant to …

Creative Assets And Program Content Guide: To Build Social And Emotional Learning And Promote Trauma Mitigation And Healing, Adolescent Girl And Creativity Network

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In 2016, the Adolescent Girl and Creativity Network was commissioned by the Population Council’s Community of Practice to utilize their wealth of knowledge and field experience to critically examine, adapt, and expand the Council’s Building Assets Toolkit^© and complementary Asset Exercise. The question explored was: What are the essential assets pertinent to the most-at-risk girls and how can they be built through creative techniques/activities? This guide is the result of that activity—13 creative assets and 50 activities (program content) to build social and emotional learning, mitigate and manage trauma, and promote healing. The 50 creative program content activities to …

Hearing On The Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, Coronavirus, And Addressing China’S Culpability Before The Senate Committee On The Judiciary, Russell A. Miller

Scholarly Articles

There are a number of theories about the Chinese government’s acts or omissions concerning the emergence and world-wide spread of the coronavirus that may be the proximate cause of actionable transboundary harm. All of these theories start with the incontestable fact that the coronavirus outbreak originated in China. One theory is concerned with the conduct of the Chinese government after the health crisis emerged. This “ex post” theory alleges a broad range of acts and omissions that helped transform a local outbreak into a global pandemic. There is room for this theory under the Transboundary Harm Principle. But the “ex …

Bangladesh: Covid-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices And Needs—Responses From The First Round Of Data Collection Among Adolescent Girls In Five Districts, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Population Council Bangladesh conducted the first round of a series of rapid phone-based surveys on COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices and the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 on adolescent girls. The first COVID-19 positive patient in Bangladesh was reported on March 8, 2020. The advent of COVID-19 triggered the closure of all educational institutions. A nationwide “holiday” was declared on March 26, 2020, and a ban was implemented on all passenger travel by water, rail, and air. These restrictions have been partially relaxed, but the disease is spreading rapidly with 28,511 positive cases and 408 deaths as of …

Using Open Public Meetings And Elections To Promote Inward Transparency And Accountability: Lessons From Zambia, Taryn Vian, Rachel M. Fong, Jeanette L. Kaiser, Viviane Sakanga, Melvin Mwansa, Parker S. Chastain, Thandiwe Ngoma, Nancy Scott

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

Background
Community-led governance can ensure that leaders are accountable to the populations they serve and strengthen health systems for maternal care. A key aspect of democratic accountability is electing respective governance bodies, in this case community boards, and holding public meetings to inform community members about actions taken on their behalf. After helping build and open 10 maternity waiting homes (MWHs) in rural Zambia as part of a randomized controlled trial, we assisted community governance committees to plan and execute annual meetings to present performance results and, where needed, to elect new board members.

Methods
We applied a principally qualitative …