Malaria prevention and care seeking among gold miners in Guyana

Abstract

Despite being a priority population in malaria elimination, there is scant literature on malaria-related behavior among gold miners. This study explores the prevalence and factors influencing malaria prevention, care seeking and treatment behaviors in Guyana gold mining camps. A cross sectional survey was conducted among adult gold miners living in mining camps in the hinterland Regions 1 (Barima-Waini), 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and 8 (Potaro-Siparuni). Multivariable logistic regressions explored factors associated with miners’ self-report of mosquito net use, prompt care-seeking; self-medication; and testing for malaria. A third of miners used a mosquito net the night preceding the survey and net use was higher among those who believed that net use was the norm in their camp (aOR: 3.11; 95% CI:1.65, 5.88). Less than half (45%) of miners had a fever in the past 12 months, among whom 36% sought care promptly, 48% tested positive for malaria while 54% self-medicated before seeking care. Prompt care-seeking was higher among miners with high malaria knowledge (aOR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.05). Similarly, testing rates increased with secondary education (aOR: 1.71; 95% CI: (1.16, 2.51), high malaria knowledge (aOR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.05), positive beliefs regarding malaria transmission, threat, self-diagnosis, testing and treatment, and, trust in government services (aOR: 1.59; 95% CI (1.12, 2.27) and experience of a prior malaria episode (aOR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.71, 4.00). Self-medication was lower among male miners (aOR: 0. 52; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.86). Malaria prevention and care seeking behaviors among miners are somewhat low and influenced by mosquito net usage, perceived norms, malaria knowledge and prior episode of confirmed malaria. Study findings have implications for malaria interventions in the hinterland regions of Guyana such as the mass and continuous distribution of insecticide treated nets as well as community case management initiatives using trained malaria testing and treatment volunteers to curb malaria transmission among remote gold mining populations. These include efforts to identify and address gaps in distributing mosquito nets to miners and address miners’ barriers to prompt care seeking, malaria testing and treatment adherence. Targeted social and behavior change messaging is needed on net acquisition, use and care, prompt care-seeking, malaria testing and treatment adherence. Additional efforts to ensure the overall sustainability of the community case management initiative include increased publicity of the community case management initiative among miners, use of incentives to promote retention rates among the community case management volunteer testers and public private partnerships between the Guyana Ministry of Health and relevant mining organizations.

Perceptions about malaria among Brazilian gold miners in an Amazonian border area: perspectives for malaria elimination strategies

“…Artisanal gold mining is responsible for the survival of many families around the world and represents a stimulus for the increasing immigration in these areas [ 1 ]. People living in gold mining regions are exposed to numerous diseases such as malaria, which in Brazil has been and still is a major challenge for the disease elimination programme [ 2 ].…”

Factors Associated with Malaria Care-Seeking for Among Children Under 5 Years of Age in Mozambique: A Secondary Analysis of the 2018 Malaria Indicator Survey

“…Potential covariates were identi ed for inclusion in a predictive model based on variables identi ed during a literature review of "careseeking" and "treatment-seeking" for fever and malaria. A total of 13 socioeconomic and demographic covariates previously shown to be associated with care-seeking (7)(8)(9)(10)(11) were identi ed and used from the 2018 MIS dataset. The covariates included child's age, sex, place of residence (urban or rural), geographic region (province), household wealth quintile, mother's level of education, mother's age, child's use of a bed net, mothers reporting hearing or seeing a message about malaria in the past six months, maternal comprehensive malaria knowledge and three speci c questions about malaria knowledge.…”

Maliqua: A study within Malakit, a project on malaria and gold miners in French Guiana

“…Mostly coming from the poorest states of Brazil, miners are severely affected, with malaria prevalence ranging from 4% to 47% in this population (Douine, Mosnier, et al, 2018; Douine et al, 2016; Olapeju et al, 2020; Pommier de Santi et al, 2016). The literature reports that miners are reservoirs for malaria on the Guiana shield (Douine et al, 2020; Douine et al, 2016; Olapeju et al, 2020; Pommier de Santi et al, 2016) and while the region aims to eliminate malaria, the high prevalence of the disease in this hard-to-reach population, in conjunction with difficult access and incorrect use of antimalarial treatments, could favour the emergence of resistant parasites. However, the widespread and appropriate use of Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT), with the distribution of impregnated mosquito nets, could have an impact.…”

“…Despite being a priority population in malaria elimination, there is scant literature on malaria-related behaviour among gold miners (Olapeju et al, 2020). Therefore, better knowledge to design tailored strategies targeting this specific population in the forest are required (Douine, Mosnier, et al, 2018; Douine, Sanna, et al, 2018).…”