Need for sensitization on serious threats of second-hand smoke: Findings from a national study in Mauritius, a small island developing state in the Indian Ocean.

This study had the following objectives: To assess the level of knowledge of Mauritians aged ≥ 20 years on the health effects of Second Hand Smoke (SHS), to investigate their behaviour when exposed to SHS and to look for any association between SHS-related knowledge and behaviour towards exposure. A national cross-sectional online survey was conducted. With the total population of Mauritians above the age of 20 years being 941,719, the calculated sample size was 400.

Need to investigate COVID-19 beliefs for tailor-made sensitisation campaigns.

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to investigate the COVID-19 beliefs of a random sample of Mauritian social media users.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: This quantitative research was undertaken by means of an online survey instrument, with questions on participants' behaviour towards COVID-19 and their beliefswith respect to susceptibility, barriers, benefits, cues to actions and self-efficacy.

Prevalence of and risk factors for chronic arthralgia and rheumatoid-like polyarthritis more than 2 years after infection with chikungunya virus.

Objectives: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), transmitted to humans from infected mosquitoes, causes acute fever, arthralgia and rash. There is increasing evidence that it also causes longer-term rheumatic symptoms. In a circumscribed part of Mauritius where infectivity was high, a cohort of inhabitants was surveyed with the objectives of assessing the prevalence of and risk factors for chronic musculoskeletal symptoms and for a rheumatoid arthritis-like condition at 27.