Knowledge and use of prevention measures for chikungunya virus among visitors - Virgin Islands National Park, 2015

Risk perceptions of COVID-19, vocational identity, and employment aspirations of Chinese aviation students: a structural equation modeling approach

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the aviation and education sectors in China. This study examined the relationships between risk perceptions of the pandemic, vocational identity, and employment aspirations of Chinese aviation students.

METHODS

The study used a convenience sampling approach to collect data (n = 276 respondents) from August 2 to 8, 2022. An online survey was sent via WeChat and QQ to Chinese students majoring in aviation service management who were under lockdown at six Chinese schools.

RESULTS

In spite of the strong support for the stringent COVID policies and full awareness of infection risk and protective measures, respondents were worried about the current unstable situation and felt fear for its severity and long-lasting symptoms. The casual path from career commitment to employment aspiration was supported, but high risk perceptions of the pandemic failed to have any psychological effect on the two constructs of vocational identity and employment aspirations.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings not only demonstrate the power of career commitment on employment aspirations but also reveal that a relatively high self-assessment of career proficiency may not necessarily lead to a clear career aspiration, possibly due to poor risk communication and insufficient career planning guidance. Thus, Chinese aviation students should improve their career proficiency and commitment, broaden their career options and adaptability, and have a clear career plan, in order to be well prepared for the fierce job market that will face the next wave of the ongoing pandemic.

Patterns and Ecological Mechanisms of Tick-Borne Disease Exposure Risk in Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, Maine, United States

National parks are unique and significant vector-borne pathogen transmission settings, engaging over 300 million people in outdoor recreation per year. In this study, we integrated vector surveys and ecological habitat feature data in spatial models to characterize tick-borne disease exposure risk in Acadia National Park (ANP), Maine. To determine the broad-scale patterns of blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) densities in ANP, we conducted host-seeking tick collections at 114 sites across the park over two years. Using these tick survey data and geospatial landscape feature data (i.e., land cover, elevation, forest patch size, and aspect) we developed a random forest model of nymphal tick density. We found that host-seeking tick density varies significantly across the park and is particularly high in areas characterized by deciduous forest cover and relatively low elevation. To explore potential fine-scale ecological drivers of tick density spatial patterns, we quantified microclimate conditions, host activity, and vegetation characteristics at a subset of 19 sites. We identified significant differences in microclimate conditions but not host activity or vegetation metrics across broad-scale landscape feature classes. Mean temperature and mean humidity were correlated to nymphal densities and therefore may provide a mechanistic link between landscape features and blacklegged tick densities. Finally, we detected multiple tick-borne pathogens in both ticks and small mammals sampled in ANP, including Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia microti, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Our findings demonstrate the value of using ecological metrics to estimate vector-borne disease exposure risk and provide insight into habitat characteristics that may drive tick-borne disease exposure risk.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards mosquito control and used vehicle tire dumping by median household income, in metropolitan New Orleans, Louisiana

Background

Discarded vehicle tires are an important artificial habitat for the larvae of many container-breeding mosquito species worldwide, including in the United States. Unmanaged discarded vehicle tires create health, environmental and social costs, and with budget and staffing constraints, effective management of discarded used vehicle tires a mosquito larval habitat depends in part on the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of community residents.

Objectives

This study aims to examine the knowledge, attitude and practices of New Orleans, Louisiana residents toward illegally discarded vehicle tires, and larval mosquito control.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional design study was used where 422 households were selected using a two-stage cluster random sampling procedure in New Orleans, Louisiana. Heads of households or a person aged 18 years or older self-administered the survey. The questionnaire comprised five parts: screening, tire sightings, preferred communication method, knowledge, attitude and precautionary measures against mosquito control, disease risk and illegal discarding. We then statistically compared above and below median income household responses to identify likely causes of detected differences. The data were analyzed using ordinal regression models via IBM SPSS statistics V.26.0. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results

Out of 290 responding households, 95.5% strongly agree or agree that mosquitoes can spread serious diseases like West Nile, Zika or Dengue. Only 2.3% of the sample had high knowledge of illegally discarded tires dumping and mosquito larval control. Those employed were 1.0 times more likely to possess good knowledge than the unemployed (p < 0.001). Despite low knowledge levels regarding mosquito breeding and polluted water in discarded tires, 29.9% of respondents had positive attitude and 20.5% reported sufficient practices. Among the socio-demographic variables, only home ownership and being employed were predictors of knowledge and attitude towards mosquito breeding in illegally discarded tires (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Despite the observed increasing number of illegally discarded vehicle tires in New Orleans, the knowledge of people about illegal tire dumping and their associated risk factors as suitable larval habitants was low. Therefore, there is a need for developing community-based and place-based tailored sensitization campaigns to prevent illegal used tire dumping, and larval control.

Lack of perception regarding risk of dengue and day-active mosquitoes in Finnish travellers

Background: An increasing number of international travellers are at risk for dengue infection. We analysed the characteristics of Finnish travellers with recently acquired dengue infections.Methods: Notified dengue infections from 2016 to 2019 were obtained from the Finnish National Infectious Disease Register. We developed a questionnaire and invited individuals diagnosed with dengue to provide information on countries and areas of infection, travel characteristics, risk perception and use of protective measures.Results: Almost all infections (94%, 127/135) were acquired in Asian countries, most in Thailand (78/135, 58%). The Maldives had the highest crude risk after adjusting for the number of travellers (55.6/100,000). Most trips were pre-booked holidays (93/111, 84%) and 62% (69/111) had a duration of 14-21 days with time spent mostly on the beach (78/111, 70%). The majority of travellers were not aware of the risk of dengue infection before travelling (67/111, 60%) and had not sought pre-travel advice (72/111, 65%). The majority applied some protective measures (71/111, 64%) but mainly after sunset (64/111, 58%).Conclusions: Most dengue infections in Finnish travellers were acquired at popular destinations in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand. Our study showed that there was low awareness regarding the risk of contracting the infection. In addition, many travellers reported inadequate use of protective measures. This calls for further public health actions, such as raising awareness of day-active mosquitoes, of risk at popular travelling destinations and the correct way of applying anti-vectorial measures.

A systematic review of individual and community mitigation measures for prevention and control of chikungunya virus

BACKGROUND

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus transmitted by mosquitoes from the Aedes genus. The virus, endemic to parts of Asia and Africa, has recently undergone an emergence in other parts of the world where it was previously not found including Indian Ocean Islands, Europe, the Western Pacific and the Americas. There is no vaccine against chikungunya virus, which means that prevention and mitigation rely on personal protective measures and community level interventions including vector control.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

A systematic review (SR) was conducted to summarize the literature on individual and community mitigation and control measures and their effectiveness. From a scoping review of the global literature on chikungunya, there were 91 articles that investigated mitigation or control strategies identified at the individual or community level. Of these, 81 were confirmed as relevant and included in this SR. The majority of the research was published since 2010 (76.5%) and was conducted in Asia (39.5%). Cross sectional studies were the most common study design (36.6%). Mitigation measures were placed into six categories: behavioural protective measures, insecticide use, public education, control of blood and blood products, biological vector control and quarantine of infected individuals. The effectiveness of various mitigation measures was rarely evaluated and outcomes were rarely quantitative, making it difficult to summarize results across studies and between mitigation strategies. Meta-analysis of the proportion of individuals engaging in various mitigation measures indicates habitat removal is the most common measure used, which may demonstrate the effectiveness of public education campaigns aimed at reducing standing water.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Further research with appropriate and consistent outcome measurements are required in order to determine which mitigation measures, or combination of mitigation measures, are the most effective at protecting against exposure to chikungunya virus.

Use of repellents by travellers: A randomised, quantitative analysis of applied dosage and an evaluation of knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP)

BACKGROUND

Prevention of arthropod-borne infections hinges on bite prevention. We aimed to investigate travellers' use of repellents.

METHODS

We measured the amount of applied repellent with a spray containing 30% DEET and 20% Icaridin versus a lotion with 20% Icaridin alone. We calculated the concentration of active ingredient reached on the skin and evaluated formulation acceptability. The travellers completed a questionnaire evaluating Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice (KAP) to anti-vectorial protective measures (AVPM).

RESULTS

Some 200 volunteers travelling to mosquito borne infection endemic areas were recruited. The mean concentration of active substance achieved on the skin of the left arm was 0.52 mg/cm² of DEET/Icaridin spray versus 0.21 mg/cm² of Icaridin lotion. These levels are below the recommended protective dose (1 mg/cm²) for each formulation. Women were significantly more likely to apply a higher, protective dose of repellent. Travellers to Africa, women and older participants showed higher projected adherence to AVPM.

CONCLUSIONS

Only 2.5% of recruited travellers applied the recommended protective dose of repellent. Women and older travellers are the most adherent users of repellents. The pre-travel health consultation should provide more information on the application quantity and correct use of repellents.

Risk perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge of chikungunya among the public and health professionals: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Recently, attention to chikungunya has increased due to its spread into previously non-endemic areas. Since there is no available treatment or vaccine, most intervention strategies focus on mosquito bite prevention and mosquito control, which require community involvement to be successful. Thus, our objective was to systematically review the global primary literature on the risk perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge of chikungunya among the public and health professionals to inform future research and improve our understanding on which intervention strategies are likely to be successful.

METHODS

Potentially relevant articles were identified through a standardized systematic review (SR) process consisting of the following steps: comprehensive search strategy in seven databases (Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, CAB, LILACS, Agricola, and Cochrane) and a grey literature search of public health organizations, relevance screening, risk of bias assessment, and data extraction. Two independent reviewers performed each step. Reporting of this SR follows PRISMA reporting guidelines.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven relevant articles were identified. The majority of the articles were published since 2011 (83.8%) and reported on studies conducted in Asia (48.7%) and the Indian Ocean Islands (24.3%). The results were separated into four categories: general knowledge and perceptions on chikungunya; perceptions on the risk and severity of chikungunya; knowledge of chikungunya-harboring vectors and transmission; and knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes on mitigation practices. Overall, the systematic review found that risk perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge of chikungunya among the public and health professionals vary across populations and countries and knowledge is higher in areas that have experienced an outbreak.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that most of the affected populations in this study do not understand mosquito borne diseases or chikungunya and are therefore less likely to protect themselves from mosquito bites. While more research is required to improve the generalizability of this dataset, it appears that a lack of knowledge is an important barrier for motivating community level interventions and personal protection against mosquitoes.