Community knowledge and practices regarding antibiotic use in rural Mozambique: where is the starting point for prevention of antibiotic resistance?

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic misuse and other types of unnecessary use of antibiotics can contribute to accelerate the process of antibiotic resistance, which is considered a global concern, mostly affecting low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In Mozambique there is limited evidence on community knowledge and practices regarding antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. As part of the ABACUS project, this paper describes knowledge and practices of antibiotic use among the general population in the semi-rural district of Manhiça to inform evidence-based communication intervention strategies for safer antibiotic use. METHODS: The study was conducted in Manhiça, a semi-rural district of Southern Mozambique. Sixteen in-depth interviews and four focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with community members to explore lay knowledge and practices regarding antibiotics and awareness of antibiotic resistance. The qualitative data was analysed using a combination of content and thematic analysis. The SRQR guidelines for reporting qualitative studies was performed. RESULTS: Although participants did not hold any consistent knowledge of antibiotics, their visual recognition of amoxicillin (distinct red yellow capsule) was acceptable, but less so for different types and brands of antibiotics. The majority of participants were aware of the term 'antibiotic', yet the definition they gave was rarely backed by biomedical knowledge. Participants associated antibiotics with certain colours, shapes and health conditions. Participants reported common habits that may contribute to resistance: not buying the full course, self-medication, sharing medicines and interruption of treatment. Most had never heard of the term 'antibiotic resistance' but were familiar with the phenomenon. They often understood the term 'resistance' as treatment failure and likened 'resistance' to non-compliance, ineffective medication, disease resistance or to an inability of the physical body to respond to it. CONCLUSION: There is a broad understanding of the importance of medication compliance but not specifically of antibiotic resistance. In addition, there is a recognized gap between knowledge of responsible drug compliance and actual behaviour. Future qualitative research is required to further explore what determines this behaviour. The existing ability to visually identify amoxicillin by its distinct red and yellow appearance is informative for future awareness and behavioural change campaigns that may incorporate visual aids of antibiotics.

Lay knowledge of cervical cancer in Manhiça district, Mozambique: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Mozambique has one of the highest cervical cancer incidence rates in the world. Health interventions are still being conceived solely from a non-communicable disease standpoint despite that it is also a sexual and reproductive health problem. The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which lay perceptions of cervical cancer align with biomedical knowledge from the standpoint of sexual and reproductive health. METHODS: 10 focus group discussions were carried out with 10 target groups in Manhiça. The target groups were diverse in terms of age, sex, educational level and occupation. There were a total of 116 participants. The focus groups discussions were applied to obtain verbal information and trigger debates around beliefs and attitudes about cervical cancer as well as to explore notions of transmission and aetiology of the disease. The discussions were recorded for later transcription and analysis, following a combination of content and thematic analysis. RESULTS: Participants were familiar with the biomedical term 'cervical cancer' but knowledge of its aetiology and transmission was limited. Cervical cancer was readily associated to sexual transmission and sexually transmitted infections, and conceived as a 'wound that does not heal'. The term 'cancer' caused confusion, as it was perceived to happen only in limbs, understood as hereditary, not transmissible and as an illness of the West. CONCLUSIONS: Lay perceptions of cervical cancer do, to a large extent, align with biomedical ones, thus, there is common ground to frame future health interventions from a sexual and reproductive health standpoint. Some misperceptions were identified which could be reduced through social behaviour change communication initiatives.

Costs associated with delivering HPV vaccination in the context of the first year demonstration programme in southern Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: In Mozambique cervical cancer is a public health threat, due to its high incidence and limited access to early diagnosis of precancerous lesions. International organisations are supporting the introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. Some of these countries recently conducted demonstration programmes, which included evaluation of acceptability, coverage, and practicality of implementation and of integration in existing programmes. Information on costs of delivering the vaccine is needed to overcome the challenges of reaching vaccine potential recipients in rural and remote areas. METHODS: We estimated the financial and economic costs of delivering HPV vaccination to ten-year-old girls at schools for the first vaccination cycle of the demonstration programme in the Manhiça district (southern Mozambique), delivered throughout 2014. We also estimated costs of an alternative scenario with a reduced number of doses and personnel, which was analogous to the second vaccination cycle delivered throughout 2015. Cost estimates followed a micro-costing approach and included interviews with key informants at different administrative levels through the administration of standard questionnaires developed by the World Health Organisation. RESULTS: Considering only data from the first vaccination cycle (2014), which consisted in the administration of three doses, the average economic cost was US$17.59 per dose and US$52.29 per fully-immunised girl (FIG). Financial cost per dose (US$6.07) and per FIG (US$17.95) were substantially lower. The economic cost was US$15.53 per dose and US$31.14 per FIG when estimating an alternative cost scenario with reduced number of doses and personnel. CONCLUSIONS: The average economic cost per dose was lower than the ones recently reported for low- and middle-income countries. However, our estimation of the financial cost per FIG was higher than the ones observed elsewhere (ranging from US$2.49 in India to US$20.36 in Vietnam) due to the high percentage of out-of-school girls which, reduced vaccine coverage and, therefore, reduced the denominator. Due to budget constraints, if Mozambique is to implement nation-wide HPV vaccination targeted to ten-year-old girls at schools, a reduction in personnel costs should be operated either by restricting the outreach vaccinator team or the number of supervision visits.

Applying the photovoice method with adolescents in mining areas in rural Mozambique: critical reflections and lessons learned.

There is a recognised need for innovative methods to elicit the perspective of adolescents on public health issues, particularly when addressing sensitive topics such as the impact of mining projects on their health. Participatory approaches such as "photovoice" allow for deep engagement of vulnerable and marginalised populations, including adolescents. However, few existing studies have used the photovoice method to reflect on issues related to the environment and its impact on public health. To date, no studies have been found that have used photovoice to gain insight into adolescents' perspectives in mining areas. In this paper, we discuss the application of the photovoice method to understand adolescents' perceptions about the impact of mining on their health and well-being in rural areas in Mozambique. The study was conducted in northern and central Mozambique. Photovoice was successfully integrated into eight focus group discussions with adolescent girls and boys aged 15 to 17 years. Several lessons for guiding future research were learned. First, it provided an understanding of the perceived impacts of mining on their health and well-being. Second, photovoice promoted active engagement and interest in the study by the adolescents. Finally, compared to its ability to capture perceptions of physical and environmental aspects affecting adolescents' well-being, the method was less straightforward in revealing their concerns regarding social, relational and community aspects that are less tangible. Programs can make use of photovoice to address health issues without setting adolescents' views and priorities aside, allowing them to influence health decisions on issues that are meaningful to them. Future studies should explore strategies to minimise the role of the power dynamics that affect the engagement and contribution of adolescents in advocating for necessary and meaningful changes. Additionally, it is important to investigate how health programs and policies can help to reduce the impact of existing inequalities.

Barriers to climate change and health research in India: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Almost a quarter of the global burden of disease and mortalities is attributable to environmental causes, the magnitude of which is projected to increase in the near future. However, in many low- and middle-income settings, there remains a large gap in the synthesis of evidence on climate-sensitive health outcomes. In India, now the world's most populous country, little remains known about the impacts of climate change on various health outcomes. The objective of this study is to better understand the challenges faced in conducting climate change and health research in Puducherry, India. DESIGN AND SETTING: In this study, we employed key informant interviews to deepen the understanding of the perceived research barriers in Puducherry. The findings were analysed using data-driven qualitative thematic analysis to elaborate the major perceived barriers to conducting environmental health research. PARTICIPANTS: This study was conducted among 16 public health professionals, including medical researchers, and professionals involved in environmental policies and planning in Puducherry. RESULTS: We identify three key barriers faced by public health professionals as key stakeholders, namely: (1) political and institutional barriers; (2) education and awareness barriers; and (3) technical research barriers. We show there is a need, from the professionals' perspective, to improve community and political awareness on climate change and health; strengthen technical research capacity and collaboration among researchers; and strengthen health surveillance, resource allocation and access to health data for research. CONCLUSION: Evidence informed policies and interventions are a key element in the adaptation response for countries. In the context of the paucity of data on environmental health from India, despite recognised climate change related health vulnerabilities, these findings could contribute to the development and improvement of relevant interventions conducive to a strong research environment.

"Climate Change and Health?": Knowledge and Perceptions among Key Stakeholders in Puducherry, India.

Climate change has far-reaching impacts on human health, with low- and middle-income countries, including India, being particularly vulnerable. While there have been several advances in the policy space with the development of adaptation plans, little remains known about how stakeholders who are central to the strengthening and implementation of these plans perceive this topic. We conducted a qualitative study employing key interviews with 16 medical doctors, researchers, environmentalists and government officials working on the climate change agenda from Puducherry, India. The findings were analysed using the framework method, with data-driven thematic analysis. We elucidated that despite elaborating the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on health, there remains a perceived gap in education and knowledge about the topic among participants. Knowledge of the public health burden and vulnerabilities influenced the perceived health risks from climate change, with some level of scepticism on the impacts on non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases. There was also a felt need for multi-level awareness and intervention programmes targeting all societal levels along with stakeholder recommendations to fill these gaps. The findings of this study should be taken into consideration for strengthening the region's climate change and health adaptation policy. In light of limited research on this topic, our study provides an improved understanding of how key stakeholders perceive the impacts of climate change on health in India.

Health impacts of industrial mining on surrounding communities: Local perspectives from three sub-Saharan African countries.

Industrial mining projects can play an important role in global sustainable development if associated health risks are minimised and opportunities maximised. While a broad body of evidence from quantitative studies exists that establishes the interlinkages between mining operations and effects on public health, little research has been conducted investigating health impacts from the perspective of affected communities. This is particularly true in sub-Saharan Africa, where about a third of the remaining global mineral resources are endowed and health-related indicators for sustainable development are lagging behind. In this multi-country qualitative study, we explore community perceptions regarding impacts of industrial mining on their health and well-being. In nine study sites in Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Tanzania, we conducted 83 participatory focus group discussions with a total of 791 participants (385 men, 406 women). Our findings reveal a broad range of perceived impacts on environmental, economic and social determinants of health, with secondary health implications related to morbidity, mortality and well-being. Overall, perceived negative impacts prevailed, mainly related to environmental pollution, change in livelihoods or social disruption. Perceived positive impacts on health and well-being were related to interventions implemented by the mines such as new or improved water sources, health care facilities, roads and schools. The consistency of these findings across countries and study sites suggests a structural problem and indicates a pressing need to address health by acting on the wider determinants of health in mining regions. Participatory health impact assessment should be strengthened in host countries to foster strategic interventions, include marginalised population groups, and protect and promote the health of local communities. By including community perspectives on health before and during project implementation, policymakers can take advantage of economic opportunities while avoiding the pitfalls, bringing their communities closer to achieving good health and well-being goals by 2030 and beyond.

Acceptability and perceived facilitators and barriers to the usability of biometric registration among infants and children in Manhiça district, Mozambique: A qualitative study.

In low-and middle-income countries, many infants and children remain unregistered in both civil registration and healthcare records, limiting their access to essential rights-based services, including healthcare. A novel biometric registration prototype, applying a non-touch platform using smart phones and tablets to capture physical characteristics of infants and children for electronic registration, was tested in rural Mozambique. This study assessed acceptability and perceived barriers and facilitators to the usability of this biometric registration prototype in Manhiça district, southern Mozambique. The study followed a qualitative design consisting of 5 semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers, 7 focus group discussions with caregivers of infants aged between 0 and 5 years old, and 2 focus group discussions with data collectors involved in the implementation of the biometric registration pilot project. Data were thematically analysed. The results of this study show that there is wide acceptability of the biometric registration prototype among healthcare providers and caregivers. Participants were aware of the benefits of the biometric registration prototype. The perceived benefits included that the biometric registration prototype would solve the inefficiency of paper-based registration, and the perception of biometric registration as "healthcare norm". Perceived potential barriers to the implementation of the biometric registration prototype included: myths and taboos, lack of information, lack of time, lack of father's consent, and potential workload among healthcare providers. In conclusion, the biometric prototype was widely accepted due to its perceived usefulness. However, there is a need to address the perceived barriers, and involvement of children's fathers and/or other relevant family members in the process of biometric registration.

"It Is Like We Are Living in a Different World": Health Inequity in Communities Surrounding Industrial Mining Sites in Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Health equity features prominently in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, yet there are wide disparities in health between and within countries. In settings of natural resource extraction (e.g., industrial mines), the health of surrounding communities is affected through myriad changes in the physical, social, and economic environment. How changes triggered by such projects translate into health inequities is poorly understood. METHODS: This qualitative study explores potential layers of inequities by systematically coding perceived inequities of affected communities. Drawing on the framework method, we thematically analyzed data from 83 focus group discussions, which enrolled 791 participants from 10 study sites in Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and Tanzania. RESULTS: Participants perceived inequities related to their individual characteristics, intermediate factors acting on the community level, and structural conditions. Due to environmental pollution and land loss, participants were concerned about unsecured livelihoods. Positive impacts, such as job opportunities at the mine, remained scarce for local communities and were claimed not to be equally distributed among community members. CONCLUSION: Extractive industries bear considerable risks to widen existing health gaps. In order to create equal opportunities among affected populations, the wider determinants of health must be considered more explicitly in the licensing process of resource extraction projects.

Feasibility, usability and acceptability of paediatric lung ultrasound among healthcare providers and caregivers for the diagnosis of childhood pneumonia in resource-constrained settings: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Paediatric pneumonia burden and mortality are highest in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC). Paediatric lung ultrasound (LUS) has emerged as a promising diagnostic tool for pneumonia in LMIC. Despite a growing evidence base for LUS use in paediatric pneumonia diagnosis, little is known about its potential for successful implementation in LMIC. Our objectives were to evaluate the feasibility, usability and acceptability of LUS in the diagnosis of paediatric pneumonia. DESIGN: Prospective qualitative study using semistructured interviews SETTING: Two referral hospitals in Mozambique and Pakistan PARTICIPANTS: A total of 21 healthcare providers (HCPs) and 20 caregivers were enrolled. RESULTS: HCPs highlighted themes of limited resource availability for the feasibility of LUS implementation, including perceived high cost of equipment, maintenance demands, time constraints and limited trained staff. HCPs emphasised the importance of policymaker support and caregiver acceptance for long-term success. HCP perspectives of usability highlighted ease of use and integration into existing workflow. HCPs and caregivers had positive attitudes towards LUS with few exceptions. Both HCPs and caregivers emphasised the potential for rapid, improved diagnosis of paediatric respiratory conditions using LUS. CONCLUSIONS: This was the first study to evaluate HCP and caregiver perspectives of paediatric LUS through qualitative analysis. Critical components impacting feasibility, usability and acceptability of LUS for paediatric pneumonia diagnosis in LMIC were identified for initial deployment. Future research should explore LUS sustainability, with a particular focus on quality control, device maintenance and functionality and adoption of the new technology within the health system. This study highlights the need to engage both users and recipients of new technology early in order to adapt future interventions to the local context for successful implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03187067.

Community-based antibiotic access and use in six low-income and middle-income countries: a mixed-method approach.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial misuse is common in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), and this practice is a driver of antibiotic resistance. We compared community-based antibiotic access and use practices across communities in LMICs to identify contextually specific targets for interventions to improve antibiotic use practices. METHODS: We did quantitative and qualitative assessments of antibiotic access and use in six LMICs across Africa (Mozambique, Ghana, and South Africa) and Asia (Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Thailand) over a 2·5-year study period (July 1, 2016-Dec 31, 2018). We did quantitative assessments of community antibiotic access and use through supplier mapping, customer exit interviews, and household surveys. These quantitative assessments were triangulated with qualitative drug supplier and consumer interviews and discussions. FINDINGS: Vietnam and Bangladesh had the largest proportions of non-licensed antibiotic dispensing points. For mild illness, drug stores were the most common point of contact when seeking antibiotics in most countries, except South Africa and Mozambique, where public facilities were most common. Self-medication with antibiotics was found to be widespread in Vietnam (55·2% of antibiotics dispensed without prescription), Bangladesh (45·7%), and Ghana (36·1%), but less so in Mozambique (8·0%), South Africa (1·2%), and Thailand (3·9%). Self-medication was considered to be less time consuming, cheaper, and overall, more convenient than accessing them through health-care facilities. Factors determining where treatment was sought often involved relevant policies, trust in the supplier and the drug, disease severity, and whether the antibiotic was intended for a child. Confusion regarding how to identify oral antibiotics was revealed in both Africa and Asia. INTERPRETATION: Contextual complexities and differences between countries with different incomes, policy frameworks, and cultural norms were revealed. These contextual differences render a single strategy inadequate and instead necessitate context-tailored, integrated intervention packages to improve antibiotic use in LMICs as part of global efforts to combat antibiotic resistance. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust and Volkswagen Foundation.

Awareness of cervical cancer and willingness to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus in Mozambican adolescent girls.

Sub-Saharan Africa concentrates the largest burden of cervical cancer worldwide. The introduction of the HPV vaccination in this region is urgent and strategic to meet global health targets. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Mozambique prior to the first round of the HPV vaccine demonstration programme. It targeted girls aged 10-19 years old identified from schools and households. Face-to-face structured interviews were conducted. A total of 1147 adolescents were enrolled in three selected districts of the country. Most girls [84% (967/1147)] had heard of cervical cancer, while 76% believed that cervical cancer could be prevented. However only 33% (373/1144) of girls recognized having ever heard of HPV. When girls were asked whether they would accept to be vaccinated if a vaccine was available in Mozambique, 91% (1025/1130) answered positively. Girls from the HPV demonstration districts showed higher awareness on HPV and cervical cancer, and willingness to be vaccinated. This study anticipates high acceptability of the HPV vaccine in Mozambique and high awareness about cervical cancer, despite low HPV knowledge. These results highlight that targeted health education programmes are critical for acceptance of new tools, and are encouraging for the reduction of cervical cancer related mortality and morbidity in Mozambique.