Freirean Codes: A Transformative Educational Tool for Community Empowerment and Arboviral Control in Kenya

<p>Dengue and chikungunya fever are two of the fastest spreading tropical diseases globally. There are 390 million dengue infections per year globally, and 65 million cases in Africa. In East Africa, Kenya and Tanzania have suffered outbreaks of these diseases. Dengue fever is transmitted by the bite of the highly anthropophilic <em>Aedes aegypti</em> mosquito, while Chikungunya is caused by an alphavirus also transmitted by <em>Aedes</em> specie mosquitoes. In May 2016, WHO received a report from the Ministry of Health in Kenya about a Dengue and Chikungunya outbreak in the Mandera Eastern sub-county. By June 2016, 1,792 cases of DENV and CHIKV had been reported. Entomological and water management surveys related to local knowledge and behaviors about mosquito-borne disease prevention were conducted. The data collected allowed the researchers to identify 40 households that fell into two extreme classes: 20 households with high risk of mosquito infestation and 20 households with low risk. Then, 40 open-ended interviews were conducted with female heads of households. An iterative and cyclical revision of codes is required to help capture critical information on the knowledge of mosquito borne infections. A curriculum intervention targeting mosquito life cycle, types of mosquitoes, behavior, disease, and mosquito breeding areas should be implemented. The knowledge of arbovirus infections is limited. There is a lack of awareness about proper source reduction and mosquito life cycle; perceived importance of covering drinking water and keeping it free from insects but not water used for other purposes. Also, a huge misconception about disease transmission exists. People are more concerned about swallowing larvae and it causing stomach problem like diarrhea and vomiting. Furthermore, the issue of mosquito breeding around households is not prioritized.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Level thesis:degree_level

Restricted Project/Capstone - USF access only

Year dc:date.available

2017

Author dc:creator

• Egemba, Chika

Contributors dc:contributor

• Erin Grinshteyn

• Dengue
• Chikungunya
• Arboviral Infections
• Mosquitoes
• Liberation Education
• Kenya
• Community Health and Preventive Medicine
• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Public Health
• Public Health Education and Promotion

Repository record dc:identifier

https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/685

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.usfca.edu:capstone-1721