Thindwa, D, Jambo, KC, Ojal, J, MacPherson, P, Dennis Phiri, M, Pinsent, A, Khundi, M, Chiume, L, Gallagher, KE, Heyderman, RS, Corbett, EL, French, N and Flasche, S. 2022. deusthindwa/social.contact.rates.estimation.hiv.malawi. [Online]. Github. Available from: https://github.com/deusthindwa/social.contact.rates.estimation.hiv.malawi
Thindwa, D, Jambo, KC, Ojal, J, MacPherson, P, Dennis Phiri, M, Pinsent, A, Khundi, M, Chiume, L, Gallagher, KE, Heyderman, RS, Corbett, EL, French, N and Flasche, S. deusthindwa/social.contact.rates.estimation.hiv.malawi [Internet]. Github; 2022. Available from: https://github.com/deusthindwa/social.contact.rates.estimation.hiv.malawi
Thindwa, D, Jambo, KC, Ojal, J, MacPherson, P, Dennis Phiri, M, Pinsent, A, Khundi, M, Chiume, L, Gallagher, KE, Heyderman, RS, Corbett, EL, French, N and Flasche, S (2022). deusthindwa/social.contact.rates.estimation.hiv.malawi. [Data Collection]. Github. https://github.com/deusthindwa/social.contact.rates.estimation.hiv.malawi
Alternative Title
Social mixing patterns relevant to infectious diseases spread by close contact in urban Blantyre, Malawi
Description
INTRODUCTION: Understanding human mixing patterns relevant to infectious diseases spread through close contact is vital for modelling transmission dynamics and optimisation of disease control strategies. Mixing patterns in low-income countries like Malawi are not well known. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a social mixing survey in urban Blantyre, Malawi between April and July 2021 (between the 2nd and 3rd wave of COVID-19 infections). Participants living in densely-populated neighbourhoods were randomly sampled and, if they consented, reported their physical and non-physical contacts within and outside homes lasting at least 5 min during the previous day. Age-specific mixing rates were calculated, and a negative binomial mixed effects model was used to estimate determinants of contact behaviour. RESULTS: Of 1201 individuals enroled, 702 (58.5%) were female, the median age was 15 years (interquartile range [IQR] 5-32) and 127 (10.6%) were HIV-positive. On average, participants reported 10.3 contacts per day (range: 1-25). Mixing patterns were highly age-assortative, particularly those within the community and with skin-to-skin contact. Adults aged 20-49 y reported the most contacts (median:11, IQR: 8-15) of all age groups; 38% (95%CI: 16-63) more than infants (median: 8, IQR: 5-10), who had the least contacts. Household contact frequency increased by 3% (95%CI: 2-5) per additional household member. Unemployed participants had 15% (95%CI: 9-21) fewer contacts than other adults. Among long range (>30 m away from home) contacts, secondary school children had the largest median contact distance from home (257 m, IQR 78-761). HIV-positive status in adults >=18 years-old was not associated with changed contact patterns (rate ratio: 1.01, 95%CI: (0.91-1.12)). During this period of relatively low COVID-19 incidence in Malawi, 301 (25.1%) individuals stated that they had limited their contact with others due to COVID-19 precautions; however, their reported contacts were 8% (95%CI: 1-13) higher. CONCLUSION: In urban Malawi, contact rates, are high and age-assortative, with little reported behavioural change due to either HIV-status or COVID-19 circulation. This highlights the limits of contact-restriction-based mitigation strategies in such settings and the need for pandemic preparedness to better understand how contact reductions can be enabled and motivated.
Keywords
Data capture method | Unknown |
---|---|
Date (Date published in a 3rd party system) | 22 June 2022 |
Language(s) of written materials | English |
Data Creators | Thindwa, D, Jambo, KC, Ojal, J, MacPherson, P, Dennis Phiri, M, Pinsent, A, Khundi, M, Chiume, L, Gallagher, KE, Heyderman, RS, Corbett, EL, French, N and Flasche, S |
---|---|
LSHTM Faculty/Department | Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health > Dept of Infectious Disease Epidemiology Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases > Dept of Clinical Research |
Participating Institutions | London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom |
Date Deposited | 22 Aug 2022 08:55 |
---|---|
Last Modified | 22 Aug 2022 08:55 |
Publisher | Github |