IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v120y2014icp215-223.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Controlling parasites, understanding practices: The biosocial complexity of a One Health intervention for neglected zoonotic helminths in northern Lao PDR

Author

Listed:
  • Bardosh, Kevin
  • Inthavong, Phouth
  • Xayaheuang, Sivilai
  • Okello, Anna L.

Abstract

A parasitological survey in northern Lao PDR showed a remote ethnic minority village to be hyper-endemic for Taenia solium, a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) that impacts human and pig health. An intervention combining human Mass Drug Administration (MDA) with porcine vaccination and antihelmintic treatment was then implemented, targeting both T. solium and other soil-transmitted helminths. To understand the biosocial complexity of this integrated One Health intervention, we conducted a rapid ethnographic study exploring the transmission dynamics of T. solium and locally acceptable long-term control options. Informed by two years of project work in the village, this included six focus group discussions, 35 semi-structured interviews, a latrine survey, a school-based education meeting, participant observation and many unstructured interviews conducted over two weeks in October 2013. We found that risk behaviours were mediated by various social determinants including limited market access, interrelationships between alcohol, ancestral sacrifices and the consumption of raw pork, seasonal variations and poor latrine coverage. Only sixteen percent of households had latrines, attributed to the unacceptability of dry latrines, lack of water access, poor building techniques and poverty. Whilst women could explain T. solium transmission, most men and children could not, revealing that distributed posters/leaflets relied too heavily on text and ambiguous images. Compliance with MDA was high due to trust between project staff and village leaders. However understandings of pharmacology, minor side effects, human migration and children's fear of worms may lead to resistance in future programmes. Our research highlights the complexities of controlling T. solium and other soil-transmitted helminths in a remote ethnic minority village and the need to integrate biomedical and participatory approaches. Although we showcase the heuristic value of using rapid ethnography to inform intervention strategies as part of a One Health/NTD agenda, we also identify several possible paradoxes and conundrums in embedding locally-grounded biosocial analysis into NTD programmes. These need to be acknowledged and negotiated by multidisciplinary teams.

Suggested Citation

  • Bardosh, Kevin & Inthavong, Phouth & Xayaheuang, Sivilai & Okello, Anna L., 2014. "Controlling parasites, understanding practices: The biosocial complexity of a One Health intervention for neglected zoonotic helminths in northern Lao PDR," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 215-223.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:120:y:2014:i:c:p:215-223
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.09.030
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953614005978
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.09.030?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sokrin Khun & Lenore Manderson, 2007. "Community and School-Based Health Education for Dengue Control in Rural Cambodia: A Process Evaluation," PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Public Library of Science, vol. 1(3), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Parker, Melissa & Allen, Tim, 2011. "Does mass drug administration for the integrated treatment of neglected tropical diseases really work?: assessing evidence for the control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Uganda," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 44291, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Andrea Gazzinelli & Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira & Guo-Jing Yang & Boakye A Boatin & Helmut Kloos, 2012. "A Research Agenda for Helminth Diseases of Humans: Social Ecology, Environmental Determinants, and Health Systems," PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(4), pages 1-11, April.
    4. Panter-Brick, Catherine & Clarke, Sian E. & Lomas, Heather & Pinder, Margaret & Lindsay, Steve W., 2006. "Culturally compelling strategies for behaviour change: A social ecology model and case study in malaria prevention," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(11), pages 2810-2825, June.
    5. Waterkeyn, Juliet & Cairncross, Sandy, 2005. "Creating demand for sanitation and hygiene through Community Health Clubs: A cost-effective intervention in two districts in Zimbabwe," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(9), pages 1958-1970, November.
    6. Leach, Melissa & Scoones, Ian, 2013. "The social and political lives of zoonotic disease models: Narratives, science and policy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 10-17.
    7. Rheinländer, Thilde & Samuelsen, Helle & Dalsgaard, Anders & Konradsen, Flemming, 2010. "Hygiene and sanitation among ethnic minorities in Northern Vietnam: Does government promotion match community priorities?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(5), pages 994-1001, September.
    8. Manderson, Lenore & Aaby, Peter, 1992. "An epidemic in the field? Rapid assessment procedures and health research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 839-850, October.
    9. Bell, Sue E. & Whiteford, Michael B., 1987. "Tai Dam health care practices: Asian refugee women in Iowa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 317-325, January.
    10. Janet C. Sturgeon & Nicholas K. Menzies & Yayoi Fujita Lagerqvist & David Thomas & Benchaphun Ekasingh & Louis Lebel & Khamla Phanvilay & Sithong Thongmanivong, 2013. "Enclosing Ethnic Minorities and Forests in the Golden Economic Quadrangle," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 44(1), pages 53-79, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Martínez-Parra, Adriana Gisela & Pinilla-Alfonso, Maria Yaneth & Abadía-Barrero, César Ernesto, 2018. "Sociocultural dynamics that influence Chagas disease health care in Colombia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 142-150.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. M.N. Tripathi, 2015. "Swachh Odisha: A Case on Attempting to Inculcate Healthy Sanitation Practices in Rural Odisha," Asian Journal of Management Cases, , vol. 12(2), pages 109-127, September.
    2. Emmy De Buck & Hans Van Remoortel & Karin Hannes & Thashlin Govender & Selvan Naidoo & Bert Avau & Axel Vande Veegaete & Alfred Musekiwa & Vittoria Lutje & Margaret Cargo & Hans‐Joachim Mosler & Phili, 2017. "Approaches to promote handwashing and sanitation behaviour change in low‐ and middle‐income countries: a mixed method systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(1), pages 1-447.
    3. McMichael, Celia & Robinson, Priscilla, 2016. "Drivers of sustained hygiene behaviour change: A case study from mid-western Nepal," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 28-36.
    4. Rheinländer, Thilde & Samuelsen, Helle & Dalsgaard, Anders & Konradsen, Flemming, 2010. "Hygiene and sanitation among ethnic minorities in Northern Vietnam: Does government promotion match community priorities?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(5), pages 994-1001, September.
    5. Coffey, Diane & Spears, Dean & Vyas, Sangita, 2017. "Switching to sanitation: Understanding latrine adoption in a representative panel of rural Indian households," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 41-50.
    6. Langford, Rebecca & Panter-Brick, Catherine, 2013. "A health equity critique of social marketing: Where interventions have impact but insufficient reach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 133-141.
    7. Anke Hoeffler, 2017. "Violence Against Children: A Critical Issue for Development," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 29(5), pages 945-963, November.
    8. Paige, Sarah B. & Malavé, Carly & Mbabazi, Edith & Mayer, Jonathan & Goldberg, Tony L., 2015. "Uncovering zoonoses awareness in an emerging disease ‘hotspot’," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 78-86.
    9. McConnell, Bonnie B., 2016. "Music and health communication in The Gambia: A social capital approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 132-140.
    10. Genova, Christian & Umberger, Wendy J. & Peralta-Sanchez, Maria-Alexandra & Newman, Suzie & Zeng, Di, 2021. "The Impact of Smallholder Vegetable Production on Rural Vietnamese Children’s Nutrition Outcomes," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315293, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    11. Few, Roger & Lake, Iain & Hunter, Paul R. & Tran, Pham Gia, 2013. "Seasonality, disease and behavior: Using multiple methods to explore socio-environmental health risks in the Mekong Delta," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1-9.
    12. Andréa Gazzinelli & Roberta Oliveira-Prado & Leonardo Ferreira Matoso & Bráulio M Veloso & Gisele Andrade & Helmut Kloos & Jeffrey M Bethony & Renato M Assunção & Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira, 2017. "Schistosoma mansoni reinfection: Analysis of risk factors by classification and regression tree (CART) modeling," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-16, August.
    13. McGranahan, Gordon, 2015. "Realizing the Right to Sanitation in Deprived Urban Communities: Meeting the Challenges of Collective Action, Coproduction, Affordability, and Housing Tenure," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 242-253.
    14. Anakwenze, Obianujunwa, 2022. "The cultural sensitivity continuum of mental health interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    15. Wallace, Robert G. & Bergmann, Luke & Kock, Richard & Gilbert, Marius & Hogerwerf, Lenny & Wallace, Rodrick & Holmberg, Mollie, 2015. "The dawn of Structural One Health: A new science tracking disease emergence along circuits of capital," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 68-77.
    16. Asim Anwar & Noman Khan & Muhammad Ayub & Faisal Nawaz & Asim Shah & Antoine Flahault, 2019. "Modeling and Predicting Dengue Incidence in Highly Vulnerable Countries using Panel Data Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-8, June.
    17. Mutlu Özdoğan & Ian G. Baird & Michael B. Dwyer, 2018. "The Role of Remote Sensing for Understanding Large-Scale Rubber Concession Expansion in Southern Laos," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-20, April.
    18. Jessica L. Mackelprang & Janessa M. Graves & Halle M. Schulz, 2024. "Using Photovoice to Explore Determinants of Health among Homeless and Unstably Housed Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-13, February.
    19. Xueyuan Ong & Yi-Chen Wang & Paiboon Sithithaworn & Jutamas Namsanor & David Taylor & Luxana Laithavewat, 2016. "Uncovering the Pathogenic Landscape of Helminth (Opisthorchis viverrini) Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study on Contributions of Physical and Social Environment and Healthcare Interventions," PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-21, December.
    20. Trundle, Catherine & Phillips, Tarryn, 2023. "Defining focused ethnography: Disciplinary boundary-work and the imagined divisions between ‘focused’ and ‘traditional’ ethnography in health research – A critical review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:120:y:2014:i:c:p:215-223. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.