Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems.
Background Onchocerciasis affects some of the world's most marginalized people, perpetuating poverty and inequalities. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with Ivermectin has taken place within the Meme River basin region in Cameroon for over 15 years. Despite this, onchocerciasis is still prevalent...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:22165bd2d2e44038a70a9173ee4a2143 2023-05-15T15:13:17+02:00 Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. Theobald Mue Nji Helen Piotrowski Nnamdi Dum-Buo Ebua Gallus Fung Laura Dean Sally Theobald Rachael Thomson Samuel Wanji Kim Ozano 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 https://doaj.org/article/22165bd2d2e44038a70a9173ee4a2143 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2727 https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2735 1935-2727 1935-2735 doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 https://doaj.org/article/22165bd2d2e44038a70a9173ee4a2143 PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 15, Iss 6, p e0009433 (2021) Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 2022-12-31T05:28:42Z Background Onchocerciasis affects some of the world's most marginalized people, perpetuating poverty and inequalities. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with Ivermectin has taken place within the Meme River basin region in Cameroon for over 15 years. Despite this, onchocerciasis is still prevalent in the region due to existing and emerging contextual challenges. Using a social-ecological approach we explore the everyday realities of communities, highlighting the challenges and potential solutions that could support Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) programmes when transitioning from control to elimination of onchocerciasis in this highly endemic area and other similar communities. Methodology/principal finding In-depth interviews (71) with community members and Community Drug Distributors (CDDs) were conducted to understand current knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in relation to transmission, prevention and treatment of onchocerciasis. Through application of the social-ecological model, four key themes were identified: 1. Contextual factors on health promotion interventions (Onchocerciasis history and understanding of the disease, prevention and mitigation strategies and MDA experience); 2. Social determinants (poverty and livelihoods, economic and social impacts on CDD volunteers and stigma); 3. Environmental determinants (exposure, housing, occupation and poverty); and 4. health seeking pathways and decision making for treatment (access, cost and preferable treatment routes). We discuss these core and cross cutting themes (gender differences and community participation/ownership) in relation to intersectoral collaboration, gender equity and health systems support, making recommendations for NTD programmes within the context of integrated and interdisciplinary approaches. These include the need for; intersectional and gender analysis at the local level, addressing environmental dimensions of onchocerciasis through integrated and regular health promotion, vector control strategies and access to safe water ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15 6 e0009433 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Theobald Mue Nji Helen Piotrowski Nnamdi Dum-Buo Ebua Gallus Fung Laura Dean Sally Theobald Rachael Thomson Samuel Wanji Kim Ozano Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. |
topic_facet |
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
description |
Background Onchocerciasis affects some of the world's most marginalized people, perpetuating poverty and inequalities. Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with Ivermectin has taken place within the Meme River basin region in Cameroon for over 15 years. Despite this, onchocerciasis is still prevalent in the region due to existing and emerging contextual challenges. Using a social-ecological approach we explore the everyday realities of communities, highlighting the challenges and potential solutions that could support Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) programmes when transitioning from control to elimination of onchocerciasis in this highly endemic area and other similar communities. Methodology/principal finding In-depth interviews (71) with community members and Community Drug Distributors (CDDs) were conducted to understand current knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours in relation to transmission, prevention and treatment of onchocerciasis. Through application of the social-ecological model, four key themes were identified: 1. Contextual factors on health promotion interventions (Onchocerciasis history and understanding of the disease, prevention and mitigation strategies and MDA experience); 2. Social determinants (poverty and livelihoods, economic and social impacts on CDD volunteers and stigma); 3. Environmental determinants (exposure, housing, occupation and poverty); and 4. health seeking pathways and decision making for treatment (access, cost and preferable treatment routes). We discuss these core and cross cutting themes (gender differences and community participation/ownership) in relation to intersectoral collaboration, gender equity and health systems support, making recommendations for NTD programmes within the context of integrated and interdisciplinary approaches. These include the need for; intersectional and gender analysis at the local level, addressing environmental dimensions of onchocerciasis through integrated and regular health promotion, vector control strategies and access to safe water ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Theobald Mue Nji Helen Piotrowski Nnamdi Dum-Buo Ebua Gallus Fung Laura Dean Sally Theobald Rachael Thomson Samuel Wanji Kim Ozano |
author_facet |
Theobald Mue Nji Helen Piotrowski Nnamdi Dum-Buo Ebua Gallus Fung Laura Dean Sally Theobald Rachael Thomson Samuel Wanji Kim Ozano |
author_sort |
Theobald Mue Nji |
title |
Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. |
title_short |
Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. |
title_full |
Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. |
title_fullStr |
Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Eliminating onchocerciasis within the Meme River Basin of Cameroon: A social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. |
title_sort |
eliminating onchocerciasis within the meme river basin of cameroon: a social-ecological approach to understanding everyday realities and health systems. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 https://doaj.org/article/22165bd2d2e44038a70a9173ee4a2143 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Vol 15, Iss 6, p e0009433 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2727 https://doaj.org/toc/1935-2735 1935-2727 1935-2735 doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 https://doaj.org/article/22165bd2d2e44038a70a9173ee4a2143 |
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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009433 |
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PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
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15 |
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6 |
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e0009433 |
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