Geographic patterns of infectious diseases in Africa: case studies of diarrheal diseases in Yaounde-Cameroon
Abstract
Yaoundé is currently experiencing very rapid and uncontrolled urbanization, leading to a complete occupation of its land area. This is in response to the local populations modifying the environment to provide themselves with... [ view full abstract ]
Yaoundé is currently experiencing very rapid and uncontrolled urbanization, leading to a complete occupation of its land area. This is in response to the local populations modifying the environment to provide themselves with vital space for habitation with subsequent negative health impacts. The predominant health concerns are the presence of infectious and parasitic diseases such as malaria, diarrhoeas, typhoid fever. This study aims at examining the interrelationship between two concepts i.e. the environment and health, focusing on diarrhoeal diseases, and the associated risk factors in Yaoundé. Spatial inequalities in the incidence and prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases were observed, and influence of physical environment (assessed here through topography) on housing appears to be a significant risk factor in the occurrence of diarrhoeas in the city. Using tools and techniques of spatial analysis (e.g., GIS), we’ve realized that diarrhoeal diseases vary statistically between different topographic units: prevalence rates are higher among city dwellers living in marshy areas (wet lowlands), moderate among those settled on the slopes and low among inhabitants living on the plateaus. The prevalence rates of bacterial and parasitic diarrhoeas also vary according to whether or not those plateaus are textured i.e. made of hard rocks or of weak ones. More so, according to whether or not, slopes were exposed to the local wet wind and whether marshy areas were used for residential purposes, for economic investments or for crops and farming. Such an outcome has enabled the mapping of urban sectors and of citydwellers more or less at risk of diarrheal diseases in the city. We believe that such a map can be used by urban development planners and Decision makers to rethink the housing or town settlement policy, and to carry out specific health measures
Authors
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Blaise Nguendo Yongsi
(Institute for Training and Research in Population Studies (IFORD))
Topic Areas
II. Environmental Health 2.1 Disease mapping 2.2 Assessment of the impact of environmental , III. Infectious and Communicable Diseases 3.1 Infectious diseases and their relations to c , II. Urban Health at the intersection of urban environment, social determinants and places
Session
SPH-UH-01B » Spatializing Urban Health (08:00 - Friday, 1st April, TBA)
Paper
Geographic_patterns_of_infectious_diseases_in_Africa.docx
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