Dr. Kathy Alexander, Virginia Tech, and Dr. Jason Blackburn, UF Geography, have evaluated the seasonal patterns and likely causes of diarrheal disease outbreaks in Botswana using a simple questionnaire and existing hospital staff and infrastructure.
The approach does not require increased human or economic resources, and it can
give immediate insight into public health threats and disease outbreaks where
this type of information otherwise would not be acquired. The study identified
epidemiological characteristics of diarrheal disease by age group in several
communities in Chobe District, Botswana and linked seasonal outbreaks to
precipitation and river flood stages. This would provide a framework for
studying diarrhea in resource limited settings using data that are often
available in some form from health centers. Such a framework can be applied
beyond Botswana. This work was published in the journal BMC Public Health and
was funded by NSF.
The website: http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2013/09/091713-cnre-diarrhealdisease.html