Ecological and Environmental Factors in a Yellow Fever Outbreak
State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Abreu et al. investigated geographical, ecological, and entomological factors contributing to a 2017–2019 outbreak of sylvatic yellow fever virus in a coastal region of Brazil previously considered free of sylvatic yellow fever virus. Yellow fever has a high mortality rate and, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, there continue to be outbreaks in the Americas and Africa. The virus transmission cycle involved nonhuman primates, mosquitoes, and humans. The authors assigned functional traits related to behavior, physiology, habitats, and epidemiological importance to 89 mosquito species from 84 sampling points. Assessed spatial environmental characteristics included altitude, land use, forest fragment size, and vegetation cover. Abundance of Haemagogus mosquitoes, combined with lower species richness and diversity, increased infection risk. Infections were most common in large, continuous forests and in small forest fragments. This work may help predict future outbreaks and inform targeted vaccination and prevention measures.
Citation. Abreu FVS, de Andreazzi CS, Neves MSAS, et al. Ecological and environmental factors affecting transmission of sylvatic yellow fever in the 2017–2019 outbreak in the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Parasit Vectors. 2022;15(1):23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-05143-0
Alcohol and Tobacco Use During COVID-19
Slovenia
An increase in substance (e.g., alcohol and tobacco) use can occur in times of heightened stress as a maladaptive coping strategy to manage psychological distress. Krnel et al. explored alcohol and tobacco consumption changes during the COVID-19 pandemic among Slovenian adults. Data were from the European Alcohol Use and COVID-19 Survey (May–June 2020; n = 495). Most people reported no change in their drinking patterns, but approximately 24% increased their drinking frequency; those with financial distress were 4 times more likely to increase their drinking frequency. Few people (n = 119) used tobacco, and of those who did, nearly 50% had increased tobacco use in the past month.
Citation. Krnel SR, Kilian C, Keršmanc MH, Roškar M, Koprivnikar H. Changes in the use of alcohol and tobacco in Slovenia during the first wave of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Zdr Varst. 2021;61(1):6–13. https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2022-0003
Perceived Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Female Genital Mutilation and Child and Other Forced Marriages
Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Senegal
Between October and December 2020, Esho et al. conducted household surveys and 38 key informant interviews with program implementers and policymakers to determine the perceived effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on female genital mutilation and cutting and child and other forced marriages in Kenya (n = 312), Uganda (n = 278), Ethiopia (n = 251), and Senegal (n = 208). The pandemic was perceived to increase the occurrence of female genital mutilation and cutting and child and other forced marriages in Kenya and Uganda, but not in Senegal and Ethiopia. The reason for this may be that the pandemic reduced the interventions of the justice system, health care system, and civil societies. Esho et al. call for innovative approaches to reduce the prevalence of female genital mutilation and cutting and child and other forced marriages during the pandemic, such as using call centers, radio talk shows, and local influencers to communicate the risk associated with such practices, even in times of pandemic.
Citation. Esho T, Matanda DJ, Abuya T, et al. The perceived effects of COVID-19 pandemic on female genital mutilation/cutting and child or forced marriages in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Senegal. BMC Public Health. 2022;22(1):601. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13043-w
Midwives Helping Deliver Reproductive Care in Developing Countries
Indonesia
Improving maternal and child health is an important public health goal, and in developing countries with strained health care systems midwives can help deliver family planning services. Lai et al. analyzed data from 17 216 current users of modern contraceptive methods from 8 waves of the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey. They found that midwives in Indonesia delivered contraceptives to 53% of modern method contraceptive users. Predictors of obtaining contraceptive methods from midwives were age, parity, urban versus rural location, region, education, wealth, exposure to family planning, and method type. Midwives could help reduce doctors’ workload in developing countries and ensure equitable access to family planning services.
Citation. Lai SL, Tey NP. Midwives as drivers of contraceptive uptake: evidence from Indonesia demographic and health surveys. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2022;34(2–3):213–220. https://doi.org/10.1177/10105395211058810
Footnotes
Prepared by Stephen Lewandowski, Megan Marziali, Vrinda Kalia, and Luis Segura. Columbia University, New York, NY. Correspondence should be sent to the AJPH Global News team at vk2316@cumc.columbia.edu.