Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study.
In low-and middle-income countries, determining the cause of death of any given individual is impaired by poor access to healthcare systems, resource-poor diagnostic facilities, and limited acceptance of complete diagnostic autopsies. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), an innovative post-mor...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244552 |
| _version_ | 1819292506807861248 |
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| author | Md Saiful Islam Abdullah Al-Masud Maria Maixenchs Saquina Cossa Rui Guilaze Kounandji Diarra Issa Fofana Faruqe Hussain John Blevins Ahoua Kone Shams El Arifeen Inácio Mandomando Quique Bassat Elizabeth O'Mara Sage Emily S Gurley Khátia Munguambe |
| author_facet | Md Saiful Islam Abdullah Al-Masud Maria Maixenchs Saquina Cossa Rui Guilaze Kounandji Diarra Issa Fofana Faruqe Hussain John Blevins Ahoua Kone Shams El Arifeen Inácio Mandomando Quique Bassat Elizabeth O'Mara Sage Emily S Gurley Khátia Munguambe |
| author_sort | Md Saiful Islam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In low-and middle-income countries, determining the cause of death of any given individual is impaired by poor access to healthcare systems, resource-poor diagnostic facilities, and limited acceptance of complete diagnostic autopsies. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), an innovative post-mortem procedure based on obtaining tissue specimens using fine needle biopsies suitable for laboratory analysis, is an acceptable proxy of the complete diagnostic autopsy, and thus could reduce the uncertainty of cause of death. This study describes rumor surveillance activities developed and implemented in Bangladesh, Mali, and Mozambique to identify, track and understand rumors about the MITS procedure. Our surveillance activities included observations and interviews with stakeholders to understand how rumors are developed and spread and to anticipate rumors in the program areas. We also engaged young volunteers, local stakeholders, community leaders, and study staff to report rumors being spread in the community after MITS launch. Through community meetings, we also managed and responded to rumors. When a rumor was reported, the field team purposively conducted interviews and group discussions to track, verify and understand the rumor. From July 2016 through April 2018, the surveillance identified several rumors including suspicions of organs being harvested or transplanted; MITS having been performed on a living child, and concerns related to disrespecting the body and mistrust related to the study purpose. These rumors, concerns, and cues of mistrust were passed by word of mouth. We managed the rumors by modifying the consent protocol and giving additional information and support to the bereaved family and to the community members. Rumor surveillance was critical for anticipating and readily identifying rumors and managing them. Setting up rumor surveillance by engaging community residents, stakeholders, and volunteers could be an essential part of any public health program where there is a need to identify and react in real-time to public concern. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T03:55:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22d5ef7ef6584514b3bb505e176fdcad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T03:55:37Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-22d5ef7ef6584514b3bb505e176fdcad2022-12-21T17:16:27ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01161e024455210.1371/journal.pone.0244552Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study.Md Saiful IslamAbdullah Al-MasudMaria MaixenchsSaquina CossaRui GuilazeKounandji DiarraIssa FofanaFaruqe HussainJohn BlevinsAhoua KoneShams El ArifeenInácio MandomandoQuique BassatElizabeth O'Mara SageEmily S GurleyKhátia MunguambeIn low-and middle-income countries, determining the cause of death of any given individual is impaired by poor access to healthcare systems, resource-poor diagnostic facilities, and limited acceptance of complete diagnostic autopsies. Minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), an innovative post-mortem procedure based on obtaining tissue specimens using fine needle biopsies suitable for laboratory analysis, is an acceptable proxy of the complete diagnostic autopsy, and thus could reduce the uncertainty of cause of death. This study describes rumor surveillance activities developed and implemented in Bangladesh, Mali, and Mozambique to identify, track and understand rumors about the MITS procedure. Our surveillance activities included observations and interviews with stakeholders to understand how rumors are developed and spread and to anticipate rumors in the program areas. We also engaged young volunteers, local stakeholders, community leaders, and study staff to report rumors being spread in the community after MITS launch. Through community meetings, we also managed and responded to rumors. When a rumor was reported, the field team purposively conducted interviews and group discussions to track, verify and understand the rumor. From July 2016 through April 2018, the surveillance identified several rumors including suspicions of organs being harvested or transplanted; MITS having been performed on a living child, and concerns related to disrespecting the body and mistrust related to the study purpose. These rumors, concerns, and cues of mistrust were passed by word of mouth. We managed the rumors by modifying the consent protocol and giving additional information and support to the bereaved family and to the community members. Rumor surveillance was critical for anticipating and readily identifying rumors and managing them. Setting up rumor surveillance by engaging community residents, stakeholders, and volunteers could be an essential part of any public health program where there is a need to identify and react in real-time to public concern.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244552 |
| spellingShingle | Md Saiful Islam Abdullah Al-Masud Maria Maixenchs Saquina Cossa Rui Guilaze Kounandji Diarra Issa Fofana Faruqe Hussain John Blevins Ahoua Kone Shams El Arifeen Inácio Mandomando Quique Bassat Elizabeth O'Mara Sage Emily S Gurley Khátia Munguambe Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study. PLoS ONE |
| title | Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study. |
| title_full | Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study. |
| title_fullStr | Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study. |
| title_short | Rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low-income countries: A qualitative study. |
| title_sort | rumor surveillance in support of minimally invasive tissue sampling for diagnosing the cause of child death in low income countries a qualitative study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244552 |
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