Role of gender in chagas disease prevention and control in Honduras : an analysis of communication and collaboration networks
Date
2016-07
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Springer Link
Abstract
In Honduras, where Chagas disease is a serious health and environmental concern, prevention
measures face the challenge of achieving widespread and long-term sustainable adoption by communities. The
article integrates social network analysis and a gender-sensitive approach to understand the role of men and
women in the implementation of a community-level intervention, based on the adoption of housing
improvements to reduce the presence of the insect vector. A total of 108 people in the community of El Salitre
were interviewed. Data were collected on socio-demographic characteristics, participation in project activities,
communication and collaboration networks related to Chagas disease prevention, knowledge of Chagas disease,
and adoption of housing improvements techniques. Communication mostly occurred between the same gender
individuals and was associated with knowledge of Chagas disease. Socioeconomic status, Chagas disease
knowledge, and collaboration with men were associated with women adopting housing improvements. For
men, however, participation in project activities, formal education, and collaboration with women were
associated with adoption. These findings suggest that men and women were driven by distinct concerns,
interests, and motivations when adopting new Chagas disease prevention strategies. Participatory community
interventions that seek to generate health knowledge and foster collaborations to reduce health risk should
address gender differences.
Description
item.page.type
Journal Article (peer-reviewed)
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Text
Keywords
SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS, CHAGAS DISEASE, GENDER, ECOHEALTH, DIFFUSION OF HEALTH INNOVATION, HEALTH PREVENTION
Citation
Rocío Rodríguez Triana, D., Mertens, F., Valeriano Zúniga, C., Mendoza, Y., Yoshio Nakano, E., & Monroy, M.C. (2016). The Role of Gender in Chagas Disease Prevention and Control in Honduras: An Analysis of Communication and Collaboration Networks. EcoHealth. doi:10.1007/s10393-016-1141-9