Winkler M.S., Knoblauch A.M., Righetti A.A., Divall M.J., Koroma M.M., Fofanah I., Turay H., Hodges M.H., Utzinger J.
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland; SHAPE Consulting Ltd, Pretoria, South Africa; Northern Polytechnic, P.O. Box 32, Makeni, Sierra Leone; Helen Keller International, P.O. Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Winkler, M.S., Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, Basel, Switzerland, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland; Knoblauch, A.M., Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, Basel, Switzerland, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland; Righetti, A.A., Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, Basel, Switzerland, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland; Divall, M.J., SHAPE Consulting Ltd, Pretoria, South Africa; Koroma, M.M., Northern Polytechnic, P.O. Box 32, Makeni, Sierra Leone; Fofanah, I., Helen Keller International, P.O. Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone; Turay, H., Helen Keller International, P.O. Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone; Hodges, M.H., Helen Keller International, P.O. Box 369, Freetown, Sierra Leone; Utzinger, J., Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, Basel, Switzerland, University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
Background: As biofuel projects may be associated with positive and negative effects on people's health and wellbeing, a health impact assessment was performed for the Addax Bioenergy Sierra Leone (ABSL) project. We present data from the baseline health survey, which will provide a point of departure for future monitoring and evaluation activities. Methods: In December 2010, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in eight potentially affected communities. A broad set of clinical and parasitological indicators were assessed using standardised, quality-controlled procedures, including anthropometry and prevalence of anaemia, Plasmodium falciparum and helminth infections. Results: Complete datasets were obtained from 1221 individuals of 194 households and eight schools. Of children aged <5 years (n=586), 41.8% were stunted, 23.2% were underweight and 4.8% were wasted. Very high prevalences of anaemia and P. falciparum were found in children aged 6-59 months (n=571; 86.1% and 74.0%, respectively). Overall, 73.7% of women of reproductive age (n=395) were anaemic. In school-aged children (n=240), 27.9% had light- to moderate-intensity hookworm infections, whereas Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and Schistosoma mansoni were rare (<3% each). Conclusions: The detailed description of the baseline health conditions, in combination with future health surveys, will deepen the understanding of how a biofuel project impacts on community health in a rural setting in sub-Saharan Africa. © The Author 2014.
albendazole; amodiaquine; artemether; praziquantel; biofuel; adolescent; adult; anemia; anthropometry; Article; Ascaris lumbricoides; child; cross-sectional study; female; health impact assessment; health survey; helminthiasis; hookworm infection; human; major clinical study; malaria falciparum; male; Plasmodium falciparum; prevalence; public health; Schistosoma mansoni; schistosomiasis; Sierra Leone; Trichuris trichiura; underweight; anemia; animal; ascariasis; Child Nutrition Disorders; health impact assessment; health status; infant; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Malaria, Falciparum; malnutrition; middle aged; nutritional status; preschool child; procedures; regression analysis; rural population; schistosomiasis mansoni; statistics and numerical data; young adult; Adolescent; Adult; Anemia; Animals; Ascariasis; Biofuels; Child; Child Nutrition Disorders; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Impact Assessment; Health Status; Humans; Infant; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Malaria, Falciparum; Male; Malnutrition; Middle Aged; Nutritional Status; Regression Analysis; Rural Population; Schistosomiasis mansoni; Sierra Leone; Young Adult