Publications by authors named "Assata Zerai"

Decision-makers in developing communities often lack credible data to inform decisions related to water, sanitation, and hygiene. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA), which quantifies pathogen-related health risks across exposure routes, can be informative; however, the utility of QMRA for decision-making is often undermined by data gaps. This work integrates QMRA, uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, and household surveys in Bwaise, Kampala (Uganda) to characterize the implications of censored data management, identify sources of uncertainty, and incorporate risk perceptions to improve the suitability of QMRA for informal settlements or similar settings.

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Sanitation remains a global challenge, both in terms of access to toilet facilities and resource intensity (e.g., energy consumption) of waste treatment.

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Urban growth in low- and middle-income countries has intensified the need to expand sanitation infrastructure, especially in informal settlements. Sanitation approaches for these settings remain understudied, particularly regarding multidimensional social-ecological outcomes. Guided by a conceptual framework (developed in parallel with this study) re-envisioning sanitation as a human-derived resource system, here we characterize existing and alternative sanitation scenarios in an informal settlement in Kampala, Uganda.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study investigates the link between intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV status among married and cohabitating women in Zimbabwe, using a feminist framework and analyzing data from a national health survey.
  • - The findings indicate that women who experienced IPV, particularly severe forms like broken bones, have an increased likelihood of being HIV positive, while those with less severe violence (bruises) are less likely to be infected.
  • - The research suggests that a patriarchal culture that fosters violence against women is a contributing factor to higher HIV rates among these women and calls for a cultural shift to mitigate IPV and its associated health risks.
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This article reports qualitative interview data from a study of participant-generated outcomes of two harm reduction programs in the United States. We address the question:"What does success in harm-reduction-based substance user treatment look like?" Providers in this study understood harm reduction to adhere to notions of "any positive change," client centeredness, and low-threshold services. Participants reported changes in demarginalization, engagement in the program, quality of life, social functioning, changes in substance use, and changes in future goals and plans.

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