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A cross-sectional survey on ZIKV in Honduras: Implications for governance and risk communication approaches

Alfonso Rosales (Department of Health, World Vision, Washington, District of Columbia, USA)
Adriana Yepes-Mayorga (Independent Consultant, Panama City, Panama)
Alejandro Arias (World Vision Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras)
Fabiano Franz (World Vision LACRO Region, Panama City, Panama)
Joanne Thomas (Department of Health, World Vision, Washington, District of Columbia, USA)
Jamo Huddle (World Vision International, Hamilton, Canada)
Ramón Jeremías Soto (World Vision Latin America and Caribbean Regional Office, Tegucigalpa, Honduras)
Maya Haynes (Department of Health, World Vision, Washington, District of Columbia, USA)
Monica Prado (CHA Risk Communication, Pan American Health Organization, San Diego, California, USA)
Dennis Cherian (Department of Health, World Vision, Washington, District of Columbia, USA)

International Journal of Health Governance

ISSN: 2059-4631

Article publication date: 5 June 2017

128

Abstract

Purpose

Zika virus (ZIKV) statistics in Honduras are the highest among countries in Central America. National risk communication strategies have primarily focused on vector control and are integrated into existing approaches for Dengue and Chikungunya. Given the new evidence on ZIKV, there is a need to revamp risk communication strategies so that they are informed by dynamic listening methods such as knowledge, attitudes, and practices. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey was administered to 604 respondents in 21 designated Honduran communities using a two-stage, 30-cluster sampling method.

Findings

Almost eight out of ten Hondurans knew that Zika can be transmitted by the bite of a mosquito; however, only 2 and 0.1 percent, respectively, were aware that Zika can be spread by sexual intercourse and from a pregnant woman to her fetus. In total, four out of ten Hondurans knew that there is a causal relationship between Zika and microcephaly in newborns, and three out of ten knew that there is an association between Zika and Guillian-Barré syndrome. Overall, 50 percent of respondents said that they did not have enough information about the disease.

Social implications

The findings of this study clearly identify information priority gaps that need to be urgently addressed by national stakeholders involved in public health activities to protect the most vulnerable population against Zika disease and its complications.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind in Central America to inform any national risk communication strategy since the inception of the ZIKV response, particularly among at risk populations.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Conflict of interest: the authors declare no conflict of interests.

This publication is based upon work supported by the Pan American Health Organization – Regional Office for the Americas, World Health Organization.

Citation

Rosales, A., Yepes-Mayorga, A., Arias, A., Franz, F., Thomas, J., Huddle, J., Soto, R.J., Haynes, M., Prado, M. and Cherian, D. (2017), "A cross-sectional survey on ZIKV in Honduras: Implications for governance and risk communication approaches", International Journal of Health Governance, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 83-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHG-11-2016-0053

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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