Effects of an urban sanitation intervention on childhood enteric infection and diarrhea in Maputo, Mozambique: A controlled before-and-after trial.

We conducted a controlled before-and-after trial to evaluate the impact of an onsite urban sanitation intervention on the prevalence of enteric infection, soil transmitted helminth re-infection, and diarrhea among children in Maputo, Mozambique. A non-governmental organization replaced existing poor-quality latrines with pour-flush toilets with septic tanks serving household clusters. We enrolled children aged 1-48 months at baseline and measured outcomes before and 12 and 24 months after the intervention, with concurrent measurement among children in a comparable control arm.

Comparing trap designs and methods for assessing density of synanthropic flies in Odisha, India.

Background: There are many different traps available for studying fly populations. The aim of this study was to find the most suitable trap to collect synanthropic fly populations to assess the impact of increased latrine coverage in the state of Odisha, India.

Methods: Different baits were assessed for use in sticky pot traps (60% sucrose solution, 60 g dry sucrose, half a tomato and an non-baited control), followed by different colours of trap (blue versus yellow) and finally different types of trap (baited sticky pot trap versus sticky card traps).

Assessing patterns and determinants of latrine use in rural settings: A longitudinal study in Odisha, India.

Introduction: Monitoring of sanitation programs is often limited to sanitation access and coverage, with little emphasis on use of the facilities despite increasing evidence of widespread non-use.

Objectives: We assessed patterns and determinants of individual latrine use over 12 months in a low- income rural study population that had recently received latrines as part of the Government of India's Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) in coastal Puri district in Odisha, India.

Materials And Methods: We surveyed 1938 individuals (>3years) in 310 rural households with latrines from 25 villages over 12 months.

Assessing Latrine Use in Rural India: A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Reported Use and Passive Latrine Use Monitors.

Although large-scale programs, like India's Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC), have improved latrine coverage in rural settings, evidence suggests that actual use is suboptimal. However, the reliability of methods to assess latrine use is uncertain. We assessed the reliability of reported use, the standard method, by comparing survey-based responses against passive latrine use monitors (PLUMs) through a cross-sectional study among 292 households in 25 villages in rural Odisha, India, which recently received individual household latrines under the TSC.

Functional consequences of subcortical white matter lesions and MRI-defined brain infarct in an elderly general population.

The impact of single and combined effects of subcortical white matter lesions (WMLs) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined brain infarct on activities of daily living (ADL), depression, and health status perception was analyzed in community-dwelling elderly individuals. The study included 268 participants from the Memory and Morbidity in Augsburg Elderly (MEMO) project, a population-based study on individuals aged 65 to 83 years, conducted in Augsburg, Germany. Cerebral MRI was performed, and 2 geriatric performance tests, scales to assess ADL, depressive symptoms, and self-perceived health status were assessed.

Marketing hygiene behaviours: the impact of different communication channels on reported handwashing behaviour of women in Ghana.

In 2003-04, a National Handwashing Campaign utilizing mass media and community events took place in Ghana. This article describes the results of the evaluation of the campaign in a sample of 497 women with children <5 years. The unifying message across all communication channels was that hands were not 'truly' clean unless washed with soap.