Schlüsselwörter
(Deutsch)
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Urbanisierung, Pastoralnomaden, Gesundheitswahrnehmung, molekulare Epidemiologie, Tuberkulose, Gesundheitssysteme, Wasserverschmutzung, Forschungspartnerschaft, Linderung von Syndromen, globaler Wandel, Côte d'Ivoire, Tschad, Mauretanien, Burkina Faso
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Schlüsselwörter
(Englisch)
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Urbanization, nomadic pastoralists, health perception, molecular epidemiology, tuberculosis, health systems, sanitary engineering, research partnership, mitigating syndromes, global change, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso
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Kurzbeschreibung
(Englisch)
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In West Africa, major social transformations are taking place as a result of global change. Great pressure on arable land is leading to unprecedented population movements, including an explosive growth of urban centres. The emphasis of JACS West Africa is on health and well-being, concentrating on two groups that are particularly vulnerable to syndromes of global change: poor urban populations and nomadic communities. The goal is to generate a scientific basis for the improvement of health and well-being in a situation where governments can no longer meet even the most urgent needs for health services and infrastructure. This includes not only addressing questions of disease burdens and health service planning, but also aspects of the biophysical, ecological, social and political environment. A concept of vulnerability is being developed which combines the epidemiological concept of risk and the perspectives of social sciences, in order to develop strategies to asses equity, poverty and well-being, and to alleviate social, health and economic burden among population groups living at the margins.
This study, the Individual Project 4 "Health and Well-Being" (IP4), is conducted within the framework of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North-South: Research Partnerships for Mitigating Syndromes of Global Change. The NCCR North-South is co-funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). There are study sites in Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania, and a co-ordination office in the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
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Projektziele
(Englisch)
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The overall goal is to generate a scientific basis for the development and validation of adapted, efficient and innovative strategies that will improve the health and well-being of especially vulnerable groups, and thus help to mitigate the effects of global change.
The specific objectives are:
Assess and compare the frequency and distribution dynamics of the most relevant health problems and their estimated disease burden among nomadic populations in relation to the demographic, environmental and epidemiological transitions
Genotyping and resistance-typing of the major pathogens and consequently establishing and modelling the population and transmission dynamics emphasising zoonoses
Analyses of the perception of illness, well-being, priorities and coping strategies by the different population and the impact of ill-health on the household economy- Description and comparative analyses of the patterns and factors that govern health- and help-seeking patterns of different population groups in different social, cultural and economic settings
Identify and validate intervention strategies to improve health and well-being of different population groups
Review the concepts of "risks" and "vulnerability" in a transdisciplinary context and their applicability to guide intervention strategies
Contribute to the understanding of the biomedical, social and cultural determinants of health, well-being and livelihood strategies within the context of the NCCR North-South.
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Abstract
(Englisch)
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Sub-Saharan Africa is a region of great mineral wealth and agricultural potential, but it is ranked lowest in the world in terms of economic development, social conditions and health. The region has suffered severely from global change. Widespread environmental degradation includes the destruction of the remaining rain forests and the clearing of bush in the savannah. Environmental changes have been followed by social changes and large movements of population.
The Individual Project 4, "Health and Well-Being" (IP4), in the JACS West and Central Africa, is led by the Swiss Tropical Institute in Basel. There are study sites in Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania, and a co-ordination office in the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS) in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
In the study countries, population densities are low in rural areas but there are also overcrowded urban centres (map a), where 20-50% of the population are living. The area includes large semi-arid regions, with a large population of nomadic pastoralists.
Syndromes of global change affect everybody, but especially members of particularly vulnerable groups. The studies concentrate on two of these; poor urban populations and nomadic communities. In the rapidly-growing cities, poorer people suffer particularly from the inability of government authorities to provide an adequate infrastructure. The nomadic way of life is increasingly threatened by climatic change and by growing population pressure, which can lead to conflict with sedentary populations. Both groups are socially vulnerable because of illiteracy, poverty and political marginalisation. Central governments rarely offer health or education policies adapted to them.
On the other hand, both city-dwellers and nomadic peoples are important for the devel-opment of their countries. Nomadic pastoralism is one way to use marginal ecosystems that could otherwise not be used, and could help to meet increasing demands for milk and meat, but this ways must be found to do this without endangering fragile ecosystems. Cities can be agents of social change and engines of economic growth, but in the face of increasing poverty and inequality a new vision and new approaches are required so that they can play this role adequately.
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Publikationen / Ergebnisse
(Englisch)
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Tanner M., Wyss K., Zinsstag J., N'Djekhor Y., Schelling E., Obrist B. and Cissé G. (2004) JACS West Africa, Urbanisation and Nomadic Lifestyle: Research on vulnerability and risks to improve well-being at household and population levels, in: Research for Mitigating Syndromes of Global Change (Hurni H., Wiesmann U., Schertenleib R., eds.) Geographica Bernensis p. 61-95.
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