Dataset Information

Rapid health evaluation in migrant peoples in transit through Darien, Panama: protocol for a multimethod qualitative and quantitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The world is currently unprepared to deal with the drastic increase in global migration. There is an urgent need to develop programs to protect the well-being and health of migrant peoples. Increased population movement is already evident throughout the Americas as exemplified by the rising number of migrant peoples who pass through the Darien neotropical moist broadleaf forest along the border region between Panama and Colombia. The transit of migrant peoples through this area has an increase in the last years. In 2021, an average of 9400 people entered the region per month compared with 2000-3500 people monthly in 2019. Along this trail, there is no access to health care, food provision, potable water, or housing. To date, much of what is known about health needs and barriers to health care within this population is based on journalistic reports and anecdotes. There is a need for a comprehensive approach to assess the health care needs of migrant peoples in transit. This study aims to describe demographic characteristics, mental and physical health status and needs, and experiences of host communities, and to identify opportunities to improve health care provision to migrant peoples in transit in Panama.

Study design and methods

This multimethod study will include qualitative (n = 70) and quantitative (n = 520) components. The qualitative component includes interviews with migrant peoples in transit, national and international nongovernmental organizations and agencies based in Panama. The quantitative component is a rapid epidemiological study which includes a questionnaire and four clinical screenings: mental health, sexual and reproductive health, general and tropical medicine, and nutrition.

Conclusion

This study will contribute to a better understanding of the health status and needs of migrant peoples in transit through the region. Findings will be used to allocate resources and provide targeted health care interventions for migrant peoples in transit through Darien, Panama.

SUBMITTER: Gabster A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8679050 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundMalaria is endemic in Darién and an assessment of the different factors affecting its epidemiology is crucial for the development of adequate strategies of surveillance, prevention, and disease control. The objective of this study was to determine the main characteristics of the epidemiological behavior of malaria in the Darien region.MethodsThis research was comprised of a retrospective analysis to determine the incidence and malaria distribution in the Darien region from 2015 to 2017. We evaluated malaria indicators, disease distribution, incidence (by age group and sex), diagnostic methods, treatment, and control measures. In addition, we examined the cross-border migration activity and its possible contribution to the maintenance and distribution of malaria.ResultsDuring the period of 2015-2017, we examined 41,141 thick blood smear samples, out of which 501 tested positive for malaria. Plasmodium vivax was responsible for 92.2% of those infections. Males comprised 62.7% of the total diagnosed cases. Meanwhile, a similar percentage, 62.7%, of the total cases were registered in economically active ages. The more frequent symptoms included fever (99.4%) and chills (97.4%), with 53.1% of cases registering between 2,000 and 6,000 parasites/μl of blood. The annual parasitic incidence (API) average was 3.0/1,000 inhabitants, while the slide positivity rate (SPR) was 1.2% and the annual blood examination rate (ABER) 22.5%. In Darién there is a constant internal and cross-border migration movement between Panama and Colombia. Malaria control measures consisted of the active and passive search of suspected cases and of the application of vector control measures.ConclusionThis study provides an additional perspective on malaria epidemiology in Darién. Additional efforts are required to intensify malaria surveillance and to achieve an effective control, eventually moving closer to the objective of malaria elimination. At the same time, there is a need for more eco-epidemiological, entomological and migratory studies to determine how these factors contribute to the patterns of maintenance and dissemination of malaria.

Project description:BackgroundMore than 85% of the malaria cases in Panama occur in poor, rural and indigenous regions like Darien Province. Vector diversity, infection rate and spatial distribution are important entomological parameters of malaria transmission dynamics. Their understanding is crucial for the development of effective disease control strategies. The objective of this study was to determine the composition of Anopheles species, their natural infection rate and their geographic distribution to better understand the malaria transmission dynamics in Darién, Panama.MethodsAnophelines mosquitoes were captured during the rainy and dry season of 2016. We selected five communities where adult anophelines were collected using CDC light-traps, and through protective human-baited traps. Detection of natural infection and Plasmodium genotype were detected via nested PCR through the amplification of ssrRNA and the circumsporozoite protein gene (csp), respectively.ResultsA total of 1,063 mosquitoes were collected mosquitoes were collected for the detection of natural infection with Plasmodium spp. Nine Anophelines species were identified, with the predominant species being: An. (Nys.) darlingi (45.0%) and An. (Nys.) albimanus (42.6%). Natural infection in An. (Nys.) albimanus with P. vivax was detected in one mosquito pool from the community Pueblo Tortuga (0.6%), three from Marraganti (1.7%), two from Bajo Chiquito (1.1%) and three pools from Alto Playona 3 (1.7%). For An. (Nys.) darlingi mosquitoes, we detected seven positive pools from the community Bajo Chiquito (4.0%), two pools from Marraganti (1.1%) and two pools from Alto Playona (1.1%). The P. vivax allelic variant VK210 was detected in infected mosquitoes.ConclusionThe results from this study provide new information on the transmission dynamics associated with anophelines vectors in the Darién region. This is the first report of natural P. vivax infection in An. (Nys.) darlingi and its incrimination as a potential malaria vector in this region of Panama. Additional studies are necessary to expand our knowledge and determine crucial parameters in malaria transmission in Darién, which in turn will aid the National Malaria Program in attaining an adequate malaria control strategy towards malaria elimination.

Project description:The degree to which extrinsic factors influence migration chronology in North American waterfowl has not been quantified, particularly for dabbling ducks. Previous studies have examined waterfowl migration using various methods, however, quantitative approaches to define avian migration chronology over broad spatio-temporal scales are limited, and the implications for using different approaches have not been assessed. We used movement data from 19 female adult mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) equipped with solar-powered global positioning system satellite transmitters to evaluate two individual level approaches for quantifying migration chronology. The first approach defined migration based on individual movements among geopolitical boundaries (state, provincial, international), whereas the second method modeled net displacement as a function of time using nonlinear models. Differences in migration chronologies identified by each of the approaches were examined with analysis of variance. The geopolitical method identified mean autumn migration midpoints at 15 November 2010 and 13 November 2011, whereas the net displacement method identified midpoints at 15 November 2010 and 14 November 2011. The mean midpoints for spring migration were 3 April 2011 and 20 March 2012 using the geopolitical method and 31 March 2011 and 22 March 2012 using the net displacement method. The duration, initiation date, midpoint, and termination date for both autumn and spring migration did not differ between the two individual level approaches. Although we did not detect differences in migration parameters between the different approaches, the net displacement metric offers broad potential to address questions in movement ecology for migrating species. Ultimately, an objective definition of migration chronology will allow researchers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the extrinsic factors that drive migration at the individual and population levels. As a result, targeted conservation plans can be developed to support planning for habitat management and evaluation of long-term climate effects.

Project description:IntroductionWorkspaces are socially constructed environments where social relationships are produced, reproduced, challenged and transformed. Their primary function is to support high-quality service delivery to the benefit of 'patients'. They are also settings where employees can work effectively, in a safe and healthy environment, delivering a high-quality service according to a 'Work-As-Done' rather than a 'Work-As-Imagined' model. However, hospital design is currently based on a managerial understanding of work accomplishments, often falling short of understanding what is actually happening on the ground. Furthermore, the research landscape lacks rigorous assessment of these complex sociological and health research concepts, either within the Australian context where this protocol is set, or internationally.This paper describes an innovative protocol aimed at examining healthcare employees' and organisations' concerns and beliefs in workspace design. It outlines research investigating the effect of workspace use on productivity, health and safety and worker satisfaction, to clarify Work-As-Done, while creating healthy and more fulfilling environments.MethodsThis is a proof-of-concept study, taking place between June 2018 and April 2019, employing a multimethod, qualitative approach for in-depth assessment of one Australian, private, university hospital environment, using as its 'case' the Gastroenterology Surgical Unit. It involves (1) observations and informal interviews (shadowing) with employees and patients as they traverse hospital spaces and (2) visual data of spatial use. Fieldnotes will be analysed thematically, and visual data analysed using a predefined schematic framework (a visual taxonomy). Overarching themes and categories will be considered corroboratively, mixing visual and textual data to build an iterative and dynamic picture.Ethics and disseminationEthical considerations will be discussed, while approval has been granted by the University's Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/5201800282), along with Governance approved by the Health Clinical Research Executive (CRG2018005). Study results will be disseminated through publications, research conferences and public reports.

Project description:BackgroundNeurotropic arboviral infections are an important cause of encephalitis. A zoonotic, vector-borne alphavirus, Madariaga virus (MADV; formerly known as South American eastern equine encephalitis virus), caused its first documented human outbreak in 2010 in Darien, Panama, where the genetically similar Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is endemic. We report the results of a seroprevalence survey of animals and humans, illustrating contrasting features of MADV and VEEV ecology and epidemiology.MethodsSmall mammals were trapped in 42 sites in Darien, Panama, using Sherman traps, Tomahawk traps, and mist nets for bats. Blood was tested for the presence of neutralizing antibodies to MADV and VEEV. In addition, bird sera collected in 2007 in Chagres, Panama, were tested for MADV and VEEV neutralizing antibodies. Viremia was ascertained by RT-PCR. Human exposure to these two viruses was determined by IgG ELISA, followed by plaque reduction neutralization tests. To identify relevant risk factors for MADV or VEEV exposure, logistic regression analysis was performed, and the most parsimonious model was selected based on the Akaike information criterion.ResultsThe animal survey yielded 32 bats (16 species), 556 rodents (12 species), and 20 opossums (4 species). The short-tailed cane mouse (Zygodontomys brevicauda) found abundantly in pasture and farms, had the highest MADV seroprevalence (8.3%). For VEEV, the shrub and forest-dwelling long-whiskered rice rat (Transandinomys bolivaris) had the highest seroprevalence (19.0%). Viremia was detected in one animal (Z. brevicauda). Of the 159 bird sera (50 species) tested, none were positive for either virus. In humans (n = 770), neutralizing antibodies to MADV and VEEV were present in 4.8% and 31.5%, respectively. MADV seropositivity was positively associated with cattle ranching, farming, and fishing. Having VEEV antibodies and shrubs near the house diminished risk. Age, forest work, farming and fishing were risk factors for VEEV, while having MADV antibodies, glazed windows, waste pick-up and piped water were protective.ConclusionOur findings suggest that the short-tailed cane mouse and the long-whiskered rice rat serve as hosts for MADV and VEEV, respectively. The preferred habitat of these rodent species coincides with areas associated with human infection risk. Our findings also indicate that MADV emerged recently in humans, and that the transmission cycles of these two sympatric alphaviruses differ spatially and in host utilization.

Project description:Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) belongs to a group of soil-borne hyphomycetes that are taxonomically collated in the Fusarium oxysporum Species Complex (FOSC). Hitherto, those infecting bananas were placed in the forma specialis cubense (Foc). Recently, however, these genetically different Foc lineages were recognized as new Fusarium spp. placed in the Fusarium of Banana Complex (FOBC). A member of this complex F. odoratissimum II-5 that uniquely comprises the so-called Tropical Race 4 (TR4), is a major problem sweeping through production zones of Cavendish banana in several regions of the world. Because of this, there is an urgent need for a phenotyping method that allows the screening for resistance to TR4 of large numbers of banana genotypes. Most Fusarium species produce three types of spores: macroconidia, microconidia and the persistent chlamydospores that can contaminate soils for many years. Inoculum production has been an important bottleneck for efficient phenotyping due to the low or variable number of conidia and the elaborate laboratory procedures requiring specific infrastructure. Here, we report a rapid, simple and high-yielding spore production method for nine F. oxysporum formae speciales as well as the biocontrol species Fo47 and Fo618-12. For Fusarium spp. causing Fusarium wilt or Panama disease of banana, we used the protocol for four species comprising the recognized physiological races, including Tropical Race 4 (TR4). We subsequently tested the produced inoculum in comparative inoculation trials on banana plants to evaluate their efficiency. All assays resulted in typical symptoms within 10 weeks; significant differences in final disease ratings were observed, depending on inoculum concentration. Pouring inoculum directly onto banana plants showed the most consistent and reproducible results, as expressed in external wilting, internal discoloration and determined by real-time PCR assays on entire rhizomes. Moreover, this method allows the inoculation of 250 plants per hour by one individual thereby facilitating the phenotyping of large mutant and breeding populations.