Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's Batwa
Introduction: Indigenous populations in low-income regions are often the most acutely affected by social gradients that impact health, including high burdens of infectious disease. Using a mixed methods approach, this study characterized the lived experience of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI)...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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James Cook University
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Rural and Remote Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/5141/ |
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| author | Kaitlin Patterson Sierra Clark Lea Berrang-Ford Shuaib Lwasa Didacus Namanya Fortunate Twebaze IHACC Research Team Sherilee Harper |
| author_facet | Kaitlin Patterson Sierra Clark Lea Berrang-Ford Shuaib Lwasa Didacus Namanya Fortunate Twebaze IHACC Research Team Sherilee Harper |
| author_sort | Kaitlin Patterson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Indigenous populations in low-income regions are often the most acutely affected by social gradients that impact health, including high burdens of infectious disease. Using a mixed methods approach, this study characterized the lived experience of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in an Indigenous Batwa population in south-western Uganda.
Methods: Quantitative data analyses were conducted on data from three cross-sectional census surveys of Batwa conducted in January 2013 (n=583), January 2014 (n=569) and April 2014 (n=540). Using a 14-day recall period, cases of AGI were defined as three or more loose stools or any vomiting in a 24-hour period. These analyses were supplemented by qualitative data from key informant interviews (n=11 interviews) and Batwa focus group discussions (n=61 participants).
Results: From the surveys, episodes of diarrhea and episodes of vomiting lasted on average 3.6 (95%CI 2.3-4.3) and 3.0 (95%CI 2.1-3.9) days, and individuals experienced an average of 4.3 (95%CI 3.9-4.8) and 2.6 (95%CI 2.1-3.1) loose stools and vomiting episodes in 24 hours. Focus group participants and key informants indicated that episodes of AGI for Batwa were not limited to symptom-based consequences for the individual, but also had economic, social and nutritional impacts.
Conclusion: Despite efforts to increase health literacy in disease transmission dynamics, risks and prevention measures, the perceived barriers and a lack of benefits still largely underscored adopting positive AGI prevention behaviors. This study moved beyond surveillance and provided information on the broader community-level burden of AGI and highlighted the current challenges and opportunities for improved uptake of AGI prevention measures for the Batwa. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T05:59:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-659dde1724a4457e87b1117ea2b9870a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1445-6354 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T05:59:05Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | James Cook University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Rural and Remote Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-659dde1724a4457e87b1117ea2b9870a2022-12-21T23:14:28ZengJames Cook UniversityRural and Remote Health1445-63542020-01-012010.22605/RRH5141Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's BatwaKaitlin Patterson0Sierra Clark1Lea Berrang-Ford2Shuaib Lwasa3Didacus Namanya4Fortunate Twebaze5IHACC Research Team6Sherilee Harper7Dept of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, CanadaSchool of Public Health, Imperial College, London, UKPriestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, UKDepartment of Geography, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaUgandan Ministry of Health, Kampala, UgandaDepartment of Geography, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaIndigenous Health Adaptation to Climate Change (IHACC) Research Team: James Ford, Cesar Carcamo, Alejandro Llanos, Victoria Edge, Lea Berrang-Ford, Shuaib Lwasa, Didacus Namanya and Sherilee Harper, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, CanadaSchool of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, CanadaIntroduction: Indigenous populations in low-income regions are often the most acutely affected by social gradients that impact health, including high burdens of infectious disease. Using a mixed methods approach, this study characterized the lived experience of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in an Indigenous Batwa population in south-western Uganda. Methods: Quantitative data analyses were conducted on data from three cross-sectional census surveys of Batwa conducted in January 2013 (n=583), January 2014 (n=569) and April 2014 (n=540). Using a 14-day recall period, cases of AGI were defined as three or more loose stools or any vomiting in a 24-hour period. These analyses were supplemented by qualitative data from key informant interviews (n=11 interviews) and Batwa focus group discussions (n=61 participants). Results: From the surveys, episodes of diarrhea and episodes of vomiting lasted on average 3.6 (95%CI 2.3-4.3) and 3.0 (95%CI 2.1-3.9) days, and individuals experienced an average of 4.3 (95%CI 3.9-4.8) and 2.6 (95%CI 2.1-3.1) loose stools and vomiting episodes in 24 hours. Focus group participants and key informants indicated that episodes of AGI for Batwa were not limited to symptom-based consequences for the individual, but also had economic, social and nutritional impacts. Conclusion: Despite efforts to increase health literacy in disease transmission dynamics, risks and prevention measures, the perceived barriers and a lack of benefits still largely underscored adopting positive AGI prevention behaviors. This study moved beyond surveillance and provided information on the broader community-level burden of AGI and highlighted the current challenges and opportunities for improved uptake of AGI prevention measures for the Batwa.https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/5141/AfricaBatwaacute gastrointestinal illnessHealth Belief ModelIndigenous healthmixed methods |
| spellingShingle | Kaitlin Patterson Sierra Clark Lea Berrang-Ford Shuaib Lwasa Didacus Namanya Fortunate Twebaze IHACC Research Team Sherilee Harper Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's Batwa Rural and Remote Health Africa Batwa acute gastrointestinal illness Health Belief Model Indigenous health mixed methods |
| title | Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's Batwa |
| title_full | Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's Batwa |
| title_fullStr | Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's Batwa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's Batwa |
| title_short | Acute gastrointestinal illness in an African Indigenous population: the lived experience of Uganda's Batwa |
| title_sort | acute gastrointestinal illness in an african indigenous population the lived experience of uganda 039 s batwa |
| topic | Africa Batwa acute gastrointestinal illness Health Belief Model Indigenous health mixed methods |
| url | https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/5141/ |
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