"In the army I'm no longer typecast as the son of migrant workers": modalities of inclusion and belonging among children of migrant workers in the military in Israel

This article explores how non-citizen minorities experience military service, focusing on children of international labor migrants who served in the Israel Defense Forces. During the 1990's, Israel witnessed an influx of migrant workers, primarily from the Philippines, Latin America and Africa. However, due to Israeli immigration policies, neither they nor their Israeli-born children were eligible for citizenship. Consequently, upon reaching the age of 18, unlike their Israeli peers, these children were not recruited into the army. Furthermore, they lived under constant threat of deportation. Due to advocacy by civil society organizations, in 2006 and 2010 the government granted civic status (permanent residency) to approximately 1,500 children. This made them eligible for military service, a somewhat unique situation globally. Upon completion of their first year of military service, they were eligible for Israeli citizenship and their immediate family members were eligible for permanent residency. Through qualitative and quantitative research, we examine inclusion and belonging amongst children of migrant workers who served in the military. Our findings suggest that military service enabled them to overcome the exclusionary boundaries they experienced as children in three ways. Firstly, they achieved formal belonging by receiving citizenship. Secondly, they achieved informal belonging through the cultural and social capital this service accrued within Israeli society. Finally, for some, military service deepened their knowledge of Judaism and, in certain cases, led to conversion, thus fostering religious belonging. These three aspects facilitated inclusion and a sense of belonging for these formerly marginalized children while also enhancing their legitimacy within Israeli society. This unique case study contributes to ongoing global debates about the experiences of minority groups in the military.

Motivating school communities towards behavior change and local ownership: a gamification intervention to prevent trachoma at primary schools in southern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Ethiopia alone carries 49% of the global burden of trachoma, associated with a lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and poor health practices. The aim of this study was to examine whether gamification among schoolchildren and promotion of local ownership of school WASH is associated with healthy behaviors and WASH infrastructure improvements.

METHODS

Application of the Accelerate gamification intervention for elimination of trachoma, with an emphasis on gamification among schoolchildren and community involvement in motivating face-washing, handwashing and functional use of latrines, was undertaken.

RESULTS

The study was conducted over 9 mo in 223 rural schools from six districts within the intervention area, reaching 93 518 schoolchildren. At baseline, students were observed washing their hands after using latrines in 23 (10.3%) schools. This increased to 132 (59%) schools (p≤0.001) at follow-up. The number of latrines increased from 585 at baseline to 594 at follow-up (p=0.031). The availability of handwashing stations in schools increased from 31 (13.9%) with water access (8%) and soap (5%) to 155 (69.5%) schools with handwashing stations with water access in 153 (98.7%) (p<0.001) and soap in 121 (78%) (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Motivational strategies such as gamification among schoolchildren and promotion of local ownership of school WASH may be associated with healthy behaviors and WASH infrastructure improvements.

High prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis among primary schoolchildren in Southwest Ethiopia: the need for health strategies alongside mass drug administration

BACKGROUND

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and schistosomiasis remain widely prevalent in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of STH and schistosomiasis among schoolchildren in Gidi Bench district (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Republic, Southwest Ethiopia) and the association with knowledge and health-related behaviors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Stool samples, analyzed by the Kato-Katz technique and a knowledge, attitudes and practices questionnaire, were collected.

RESULTS

Out of 611 participants (mean age 12.8±3.1 y), 129 (21.1%) were infected with schistosomiasis and 382 (62.5%) had STH. More than 30% (n=195, 31.9%) were infected with a single intestinal parasite, while 138 (22.6%) and 47 (7.7%) were infected with two or three parasitic infections, respectively. Boys and those who did not participate in school clubs had higher infection rates (p=0.05). Lower parasitic infection was associated with using a latrine when available, washing hands and vegetables and wearing shoes regularly. Higher rates of infection were found among those who reported swimming and washing cloths and utensils in the river regularly.

CONCLUSIONS

Schistosomiasis and STH were highly prevalent among schoolchildren in Gidi Bench district. Infection rates were associated with gender, lack of knowledge on parasitic infections and unhealthy behaviors. Findings from this study may assist in decision making regarding disease prevalence and methods of control alongside mass drug administration.

Schistosomiasis Control in Ethiopia: The Role of Snail Mapping in Endemic Communities

Introduction: Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease (NTD), remains a public health problem in Ethiopia. Freshwater snails, acting as intermediate hosts, release cercariae, the infectious parasite, into the water, which penetrate human skin that encounters infested waters. The objective of this study was to map snail abundance along rivers and study its association with schistosomiasis infection in communities using these rivers. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at 20 river sites in Mizan Aman city administration, Bench Sheko zone, South West Ethiopia Peoples (SWEP) region, Ethiopia, to study the distribution of host snails and transmission sites for intestinal schistosomiasis. This study used a quantitative database consisting of data on the prevalence of infected snails, the characteristics of rivers and riverbanks, and the prevalence of schistosomiasis in the community, based on stool samples collected from community members near the sampling sites. Results: Aquatic snails were found in 11 of the 20 sites sampled. A total of 598 snails was collected, including Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Biomphalaria sudanica, Radix natalensis and Bulinus globosus species; the most abundant species was Biomphalaria pfeifferi. Stool samples were collected from 206 community members from all 20 sites. Forty-one (19.9%) were positive for Schistosoma mansoni. A positive correlation was found between the presence of snails and positive stool samples (r = 0.60, p = 0.05) and between the presence of infected snails and the prevalence of infection (r = 0.64, p = 0.03). Locations with muddy riverbanks were associated with the presence of snails (r = 0.81, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results emphasize the importance of mapping snails for the control of schistosomiasis by defining hotspots of infection and identifying factors associated with the presence of infected snails. The results support the need for a continuous mapping of snails and the introduction of snail control as a major element for the successful control of schistosomiasis in endemic communities.

Sustainable Elimination of Schistosomiasis in Ethiopia-A Five-Year Follow-Up Study

In 2009, Mekele, the capital of the Tigray Region in Ethiopia, presented a mean prevalence of 44.7% of schistosomiasis (S. mansoni) in school children. Termed a public health problem, NALA, an international public health non-governmental organization, and their partners implemented a novel model of intervention, which aimed to compliment mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns with behavioral change (BC) and improved sanitation to achieve sustained elimination of schistosomiasis. The four-year intervention (2009−2012) covered 38 primary schools. The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with control or resurgence of the disease, and the association between the behavioral change program and disease prevalence, ten years after initiation. Eleven primary schools were selected for this follow-up study. All students provided a stool sample and filled in a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire. In seven out of eleven schools (63.6%) the prevalence of schistosomiasis was maintained below 2% ten years after the initiation of the intervention. In four schools, prevalence returned to pre-intervention levels, defining them as persistent hot spots (PHS). Students from PHS schools scored lower on KAP questionnaires compared to students from responder schools; 3.9 ± 0.9 vs. 4.2 ± 0.9 (p-value < 0.001) for practice questions and 4.4 ± 1.4 vs. 4.6 ± 1.5 (p-value = 0.03) for attitude questions. The prevalence of schistosomiasis correlated positively with age, (p-value = 0.049), sex (relative risk = 1.7, p-value < 0.001), and location. Semi-urban locations (n = 382) had higher disease prevalence than urban locations (n = 242), (22.7% vs. 5.5%, p-value < 0.001). Students residing in semi-urban areas and close to a river (<500 m) were at higher risk of contracting schistosomiasis than those living in urban areas far from the river (RR = 5.95, p-value < 0.001). Finally, a correlation between prevalence and proximity of schools to rivers was found (semi-urban areas; RR = −0.91, p-value = 0.001 vs. urban areas; RR = −0.51, p-value = 0.001). Soil-transmitted-helminths prevalence in 2009 was 8.1% and declined during the intervention years to 0.5%. Prevalence in 2018 was found to be stable at 0.8%. These results demonstrate the long-term success of NALAs’ comprehensive model of intervention for elimination of schistosomiasis in school children, combining behavioral change and improved sanitation with MDA.