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Harding-Esch EM, Burgert-Brucker CR, Jimenez C, Bakhtiari A, Willis R, Dejene Bejiga M, Mpyet C, Ngondi J, Boyd S, Abdala M, Abdou A, Adamu Y, Alemayehu A, Alemayehu W, Al-Khatib T, Apadinuwe SC, Awaca N, Awoussi MS, Baayendag G, Badiane Mouctar D, Bailey RL, Batcho W, Bay Z, Bella A, Beido N, Bol YY, Bougouma C, Brady CJ, Bucumi V, Butcher R, Cakacaka R, Cama A, Camara M, Cassama E, Chaora SG, Chebbi AC, Chisambi AB, Chu B, Conteh A, Coulibaly SM, Courtright P, Dalmar A, Dat TM, Davids T, DJAKER MEA, de Fátima Costa Lopes M, Dézoumbé D, Dodson S, Downs P, Eckman S, Elshafie BE, Elmezoghi M, Elvis AA, Emerson P, Epée EEE, Faktaufon D, Fall M, Fassinou A, Fleming F, Flueckiger R, Gamael KK, Garae M, Garap J, Gass K, Gebru G, Gichangi MM, Giorgi E, Goépogui A, Gómez DVF, Gómez Forero DP, Gower EW, Harte A, Henry R, Honorio-Morales HA, Ilako DR, Issifou AAB, Jones E, Kabona G, Kabore M, Kadri B, Kalua K, Kanyi SK, Kebede S, Kebede F, Keenan JD, Kello AB, Khan AA, KHELIFI H, Kilangalanga J, KIM SH, Ko R, Lewallen S, Lietman T, Logora MSY, Lopez YA, MacArthur C, Macleod C, Makangila F, Mariko B, Martin DL, Masika M, Massae P, Massangaie M, Matendechero HS, Mathewos T, McCullagh S, Meite A, Mendes EP, Abdi HM, Miller H, Minnih A, Mishra SK, Molefi T, Mosher A, M’Po N, Mugume F, Mukwiza R, Mwale C, Mwatha S, Mwingira U, Nash SD, NASSA C, Negussu N, Nieba C, Noah Noah JC, Nwosu CO, Olobio N, Opon R, Pavluck A, Phiri I, Rainima-Qaniuci M, Renneker KK, Saboyá-Díaz MI, Sakho F, Sanha S, Sarah V, Sarr B, Szwarcwald CL, Shah Salam A, Sharma S, Seife F, Serrano Chavez GM, Sissoko M, Sitoe HM, Sokana O, Tadesse F, Taleo F, Talero SL, Tarfani Y, Tefera A, Tekeraoi R, Tesfazion A, Traina A, Traoré L, Trujillo-Trujillo J, Tukahebwa EM, Vashist P, Wanyama EB, WARUSAVITHANA SD, Watitu TK, West S, Win Y, Woods G, YAJIMA A, Yaya G, Zecarias A, Zewengiel S, Zoumanigui A, Hooper PJ, Millar T, Rotondo L, Solomon AW. Tropical Data: Approach and Methodology as Applied to Trachoma Prevalence Surveys. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2023; 30:544-560. [PMID: 38085791 PMCID: PMC10751062 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2023.2249546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Population-based prevalence surveys are essential for decision-making on interventions to achieve trachoma elimination as a public health problem. This paper outlines the methodologies of Tropical Data, which supports work to undertake those surveys. METHODS Tropical Data is a consortium of partners that supports health ministries worldwide to conduct globally standardised prevalence surveys that conform to World Health Organization recommendations. Founding principles are health ministry ownership, partnership and collaboration, and quality assurance and quality control at every step of the survey process. Support covers survey planning, survey design, training, electronic data collection and fieldwork, and data management, analysis and dissemination. Methods are adapted to meet local context and needs. Customisations, operational research and integration of other diseases into routine trachoma surveys have also been supported. RESULTS Between 29th February 2016 and 24th April 2023, 3373 trachoma surveys across 50 countries have been supported, resulting in 10,818,502 people being examined for trachoma. CONCLUSION This health ministry-led, standardised approach, with support from the start to the end of the survey process, has helped all trachoma elimination stakeholders to know where interventions are needed, where interventions can be stopped, and when elimination as a public health problem has been achieved. Flexibility to meet specific country contexts, adaptation to changes in global guidance and adjustments in response to user feedback have facilitated innovation in evidence-based methodologies, and supported health ministries to strive for global disease control targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Amza Abdou
- Programme National de Santé Oculaire, Niger
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Naomie Awaca
- Ministère de la Santé Publique, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Clarisse Bougouma
- Programme national de lutte contre les maladies tropicales négligées (PNMTN), Burkina Faso
| | | | - Victor Bucumi
- National Integrated Programme for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases and Blindness (PNIMTNC), Burundi
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Brian Chu
- International Trachoma Initiative, USA
| | | | | | - Paul Courtright
- Division of Ophthalmology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, South Africa
| | - Abdi Dalmar
- Ministry of Human Development and Public Services, Somalia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ange Aba Elvis
- Programme National de la Santé Oculaire et de la lutte contre l’Onchocercose, Côte d’Ivoire
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jambi Garap
- Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anna Harte
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK
| | - Rob Henry
- U.S. Agency for International Development, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Martin Kabore
- Programme national de lutte contre les maladies tropicales négligées (PNMTN), Burkina Faso
| | | | - Khumbo Kalua
- Blantyre Institute for Community Outreach, Malawi
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Robert Ko
- Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea
| | - Susan Lewallen
- Division of Ophthalmology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa, South Africa
| | | | | | - Yuri A Lopez
- SACAICET / MINISTERIO DEL PODER POPULAR PARA LA SALUD, Venezuela
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Aboulaye Meite
- Ministère de la Santé et de l’Hygiène Publique, Cote d’Ivoire
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Aryc Mosher
- U.S. Agency for International Development, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Cece Nieba
- Ministère de la Santé et de l’Hygiene Publique, Guinea
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Oliver Sokana
- Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Solomon Islands
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Bah MM, Sakho F, Goepogui A, Nieba LC, Cisse A, Courtright P, Harte AJ, Burgert-Brucker C, Jimenez C, Lama PL, Sagno M, Bakhtiari A, Boyd S, Solomon AW, Kelly M, James F, Tenkiano MS, Harding-Esch EM, Dicko BM. The Prevalence of Trachomatous Trichiasis in People Aged 15 Years and Over in Six Evaluation Units of Gaoual, Labé, Dalaba and Beyla Districts, Guinea. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2023:1-8. [PMID: 37377215 PMCID: PMC10581669 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2023.2192269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Trachoma is a public health problem in 42 countries. Inflammation associated with repeated ocular infection with Chlamydia trachomatis can cause the eyelid to scar and turn inwards, resulting in the eyelashes rubbing against the eyeball, known as trachomatous trichiasis (TT). In Guinea, baseline surveys conducted in 2013 reported inflammatory trachoma prevalences below the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold for elimination, but TT prevalences above threshold. Given this epidemiological context and time since baseline survey, TT-only surveys were conducted in selected districts to determine current TT prevalence. The results of this study provide critical data for assessing Guinea's achievement of trachoma elimination targets. METHODS Four health districts, consisting of six evaluation units (EU), were surveyed. In each EU, field teams visited 29 clusters with a minimum 30 households included in each. Participants aged≥15 years were examined by certified graders trained to identify TT and determine whether management had been offered. RESULTS A total of 22,476 people were examined, with 48 TT cases across the six EUs identified. Five of six EUs had an age-and-gender adjusted TT-prevalence unknown to the health system less than 0.2%, whereas one EU, Beyla 2, had an adjusted TT prevalence of 0.24%. CONCLUSION These TT-only surveys, along with findings from other trachoma interventions, suggest that Guinea is close to achieving elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. This study demonstrates the value of undertaking TT-only surveys in settings where baseline surveys indicated active trachoma prevalences below WHO elimination threshold, but TT prevalences above it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Midiaou M. Bah
- Neglected Tropical Diseases, Sightsavers, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Fatoumata Sakho
- Ministère de la Santé, National Programme for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Conakry, Guinea
| | - André Goepogui
- Ministère de la Santé, National Programme for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Luc C. Nieba
- Ministère de la Santé, National Programme for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Conakry, Guinea
| | | | - Paul Courtright
- Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, Division of Ophthalmology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Anna J. Harte
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Clara Burgert-Brucker
- Neglected Tropical Diseases, RTI International, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Pierre L. Lama
- Ministère de la Santé, National Programme for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Michel Sagno
- Ministère de la Santé, National Programme for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Ana Bakhtiari
- International Trachoma Initiative, Task Force for Global Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sarah Boyd
- International Trachoma Initiative, Task Force for Global Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anthony W. Solomon
- Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michaela Kelly
- Neglected Tropical Diseases, Sightsavers, Haywards Heath, UK
| | - Fiona James
- Neglected Tropical Diseases, Sightsavers, Haywards Heath, UK
| | | | - Emma M. Harding-Esch
- Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Peprah E, Myers B, Kengne AP, Peer N, El-Shahawy O, Ojo T, Mukasa B, Ezechi O, Iwelunmor J, Ryan N, Sakho F, Patena J, Gyamfi J. Using a Syndemics Framework to Understand How Substance Use Contributes to Morbidity and Mortality among People Living with HIV in Africa: A Call to Action. IJERPH 2022; 19:ijerph19031097. [PMID: 35162121 PMCID: PMC8834153 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19031097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Substance use is increasing throughout Africa, with the prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other substance use varying regionally. Concurrently, sub-Saharan Africa bears the world’s largest HIV burden, with 71% of people living with HIV (PWH) living in Africa. Problematic alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use among PWH is associated with multiple vulnerabilities comprising complex behavioral, physiological, and psychological pathways that include high-risk behaviors (e.g., sexual risk-taking), HIV disease progression, and mental health problems, all of which contribute to nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy. Physiologically, severe substance use disorders are associated with increased levels of biological markers of inflammation; these, in turn, are linked to increased mortality among PWH. The biological mechanisms that underlie the increased risk of substance use among PWH remain unclear. Moreover, the biobehavioral mechanisms by which substance use contributes to adverse health outcomes are understudied in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Syndemic approaches to understanding the co-occurrence of substance use and HIV have largely been limited to high-income countries. We propose a syndemic coupling conceptual model to disentangle substance use from vulnerabilities to elucidate underlying disease risk for PWH. This interventionist perspective enables assessment of biobehavioral mechanisms and identifies malleable targets of intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Peprah
- Global Health Program, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10003, USA; (O.E.-S.); (T.O.); (N.R.); (F.S.); (J.P.); (J.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Bronwyn Myers
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia;
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
- Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Andre-Pascal Kengne
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa; (A.-P.K.); (N.P.)
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Nasheeta Peer
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town 7505, South Africa; (A.-P.K.); (N.P.)
| | - Omar El-Shahawy
- Global Health Program, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10003, USA; (O.E.-S.); (T.O.); (N.R.); (F.S.); (J.P.); (J.G.)
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Temitope Ojo
- Global Health Program, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10003, USA; (O.E.-S.); (T.O.); (N.R.); (F.S.); (J.P.); (J.G.)
| | | | - Oliver Ezechi
- Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos 101245, Nigeria;
| | - Juliet Iwelunmor
- College for Public Health and Social Justice, Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA;
| | - Nessa Ryan
- Global Health Program, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10003, USA; (O.E.-S.); (T.O.); (N.R.); (F.S.); (J.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Fatoumata Sakho
- Global Health Program, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10003, USA; (O.E.-S.); (T.O.); (N.R.); (F.S.); (J.P.); (J.G.)
| | - John Patena
- Global Health Program, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10003, USA; (O.E.-S.); (T.O.); (N.R.); (F.S.); (J.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Joyce Gyamfi
- Global Health Program, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY 10003, USA; (O.E.-S.); (T.O.); (N.R.); (F.S.); (J.P.); (J.G.)
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Sakho F, Badila CF, Dembele B, Diaby A, Camara AK, Lamah L, Reid SD, Weng A, Fuller BB, Sanchez KA, Kabore A, Zhang Y, Weaver A. Implementation of mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases in Guinea during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009807. [PMID: 34570807 PMCID: PMC8496865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Guinea reported its first case of COVID-19 on March 12, 2020. Soon thereafter, a national state of emergency was declared, all land borders were closed, schools were shut down, and public gatherings were limited. Many health activities, including field-based activities targeting neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), were paused. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued updated guidance on the resumption of NTD field-based activities on July 27, 2020. In response, the Guinea Ministry of Health (MoH) and its partners planned and resumed mass drug administration (MDA) in mid-August to September 2020 in 19 health districts. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A risk-benefit assessment was conducted to identify potential risks associated with the MDA in the COVID-19 context. Following this assessment, a risk mitigation plan with barrier measures was developed to guide MDA implementation. These measures included COVID-19 testing for all national staff leaving Conakry, mask wearing, social distancing of two meters, and hand washing/sanitizing. A checklist was developed and used to monitor compliance to risk mitigation measures. Data on adherence to risk mitigation measures were collected electronically during the MDA. A total of 120 checklists, representing 120 community drug distributor (CDD) teams (two CDDs per team) and 120 households, were completed. Results indicated that washing or disinfecting hands was practiced by 68.3% of CDD teams, compared to 45.0% among households. Face masks to cover the mouth and nose were worn by 79.2% of CDD teams, while this was low among households (23.3%). In 87.5% of households, participants did not touch the dose pole and in 88.3% of CDD teams, CDDs did not touch the hands of the participants while giving the drugs. A large majority of CDD teams (94.2%) and household members (94.2%) were willing to participate in the MDA despite the pandemic. The epidemiological coverage was ≥65% for lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and soil-transmitted helminths in 10 out of 19 HDs and ≥75% for schistosomiasis for school-aged children in 7 out of 11 HDs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Guinea was one of the first countries in Africa to resume MDA activities during the COVID-19 pandemic without causing an observed increase of transmission. The development of a risk mitigation plan and a method to monitor adherence to barrier measures was critical to this unprecedented effort. The rapid incorporation of COVID-19 barrier measures and their acceptance by CDDs and household members demonstrated both the adaptability of the National NTD Program to respond to emerging issues and the commitment of the MoH to implement NTD programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatoumata Sakho
- National Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program, Ministry of Health, Conakry, Guinea
| | | | - Benoit Dembele
- Regional office for Africa, Helen Keller International, Dakar, Senegal
- * E-mail:
| | - Aissatou Diaby
- National Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program, Ministry of Health, Conakry, Guinea
| | | | - Lamine Lamah
- Guinea Office, Helen Keller International, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Steven D. Reid
- Headquarters, Helen Keller International, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Angel Weng
- Headquarters, Helen Keller International, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Brian B. Fuller
- Headquarters, Helen Keller International, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Katherine A. Sanchez
- Family Health International 360, Washington DC, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Achille Kabore
- Family Health International 360, Washington DC, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yaobi Zhang
- Regional office for Africa, Helen Keller International, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Angela Weaver
- Headquarters, Helen Keller International, New York, New York, United States of America
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