An effective fight against Cholera requires an in-depth consideration of the knowledge, attitudes and social representations of Cholera within a population. Cholera outbreaks persist in the Extreme North of Cameroon because of the inadequate integration of representations of Cholera, water and hygiene in the fight against this disease. Through a constructivist intercultural approach not conflicting […]
Transmission and spread
The social pathways, networks and interactions through which a disease spreads.
39 documents
Epidemics and the Politics of Knowledge: Contested Narratives and Pathways in H1N1 Response
This article explores the politics of knowledge involved in understanding and responding to epidemics in an era of global health governance and biosecurity. It develops and applies an approach focused on how multiple, competing narratives about epidemics are constructed, mobilized and interact, and selectively justify pathways of intervention and response. A detailed ethnographic case study […]
The Social and Political Lives of Zoonotic Disease Models: Narratives, Science and Policy
Zoonotic diseases currently pose both major health threats and complex scientific and policy challenges, to which modelling is increasingly called to respond. In this article we argue that the challenges are best met by combining multiple models and modelling approaches that elucidate the various epidemiological, ecological and social processes at work. These models should not […]
Comparing Sociocultural Features of Cholera in Three Endemic African Settings
Cholera mainly affects developing countries where safe water supply and sanitation infrastructure are often rudimentary. Sub-Saharan Africa is a Cholera hotspot. Effective Cholera control requires not only a professional assessment, but also consideration of community-based priorities. The present work compares local sociocultural features of endemic Cholera in urban and rural sites from three field studies […]
Local Perceptions of Cholera and Anticipated Vaccine Acceptance in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of Congo
In regions where access to clean water and the provision of a sanitary infrastructure has not been sustainable, Cholera continues to pose an important public health burden. Although oral Cholera vaccines (OCV) are effective means to complement classical Cholera control efforts, still relatively little is known about their acceptability in targeted communities. Clarification of vaccine […]
Cholera Outbreaks in Malawi in 1998-2012: Social and Cultural Challenges in Prevention and Control
Cholera still remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries, although comprehensive surveillance data to inform policy and strategies are scarce. A desk review of the national Cholera database and zonal and districts reports was conducted. Interviews were conducted with district health management teams, health workers, and participants in communities in six […]
Distinguishing Social and Cultural Features of Cholera in Urban and Rural Areas of Western Kenya: Implications for Public Health
Urban and rural areas have distinctive health problems, which require consideration. To examine sociocultural features of Cholera and its community context, a semi-structured explanatory model interview based on vignettes depicting typical clinical features of Cholera was used to interview 379 urban and rural respondents in Western Kenya. Findings included common and distinctive urban and rural […]
Governing Epidemics in an Age of Complexity: Narratives, Politics and Pathways to Sustainability
This paper elaborates a ‘pathways approach’ to addressing the governance challenges posed by the dynamics of complex, coupled, multi-scale systems, while incorporating explicit concern for equity, social justice and the wellbeing of poor and marginalised groups. It illustrates the approach in relation to current policy challenges of dealing with epidemics and so-called ’emerging infectious diseases’ […]
Costs for Households and Community Perception of Meningitis Epidemics in Burkina Faso
Bacterial meningitis in the African meningitis belt remains 1 of the most serious threats to health. The perceptions regarding meningitis in local populations and the cost of illness for households are not well described. We conducted an anthropologic and economic study in Burkina Faso, in the heart of the meningitis belt. Respondents reported combining traditional […]
