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Biomedical subjects

F J Louis

Publications and source records attributed to F J Louis.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Part of health costs related to malaria in a Cameroon enterprise].

In 1995 a survey was conducted in a metallurgical company in Cameroon to determine the percentage of health-related costs attributed to malaria. Both direct (consultation, hospitalizations, laboratory tests, and drugs) and indirect (sick pay, overtime, and lost production) costs were included. Total annual health-related expenditures were 4,125,000 FF. The average amount spent was 5,800 FF per family or 900 FF per eligible person. Malaria accounted for 1,272,000 FF or 31% of these expenditures. Thus the average amount spent for malaria was 1780 FF per family and 275 FF per eligible person. These figures indicate that a prevention program based mainly on use of impregnated mosquito nets, would be a highly cost-effective approach especially within the context of a well-organized health care system, a stable local population, a high mosquito biting nuisance, a good awareness of this nuisance, the possibility of social upheaval, and probable company support. Since a malaria-prevention program running at 50% efficiency would only decrease the malaria-related costs by about 12.5% of overall annual health expenditures, careful monitoring of cost-effectiveness would be necessary.

Adolescent↗

[Knowledge, attitudes and practice of populations faced with culicidae nuisances: results of 6 surveys taken in Cameroon in 1994].

In 1994, six KAP studies were carried out in Cameroon to assess the importance of protective methods used by different population groups against culicine nuisance. The objective of these surveys was to evaluate the importance of the use of preventive measures by family against the parasite. The results show that in spite of a strongly resistant parasite in a hyperendemic malaria zone, the use of average protection remains very heterogeneous. Mosquito nets, identified as efficient protection, are used to varying degrees depending on the sites. In Douala, mosquito nets were found in 47% of households visited, with 65% of the inhabitants regularly using them. These figures rose to 75% and 82% respectively in a particularly exposed area of the city. In rural areas very few mosquito nets were identified with an average of one inhabitant per residence using them. The report of the study on the free distribution of mosquito nets and the reimpregnation of the nets six months later in Mbebe-Kikot village, showed that three years after the distribution of the nets, only 68% of the residences still had one mosquito net. In addition, only 9% of these nets were still in good condition. The results of these surveys showed that mosquito nets are more widely used in urban areas, with a higher number of inhabitants per household sleeping under them. They also showed that the free distribution of nets alone does not improve the protection of the population as they are not educated on the maintenance and care of the nets. So we can suggest to use different promotion and distribution strategies in urban area, where lot of people has got the experience of bed nets, and in rural area.

Animals↗

[Malaria in French Guiana: between tradition and modernism].

Guyana is the only department of France in which malaria is a public health problem. The fact that 4,000 new cases including 80% due to Plasmodium falciparum and less than 5 deaths are reported each year shows that the disease is under control but has not been eradicated despite the quantity and quality of the resources that have been implemented. This region of 91,000 km2 with approximately 140,000 inhabitants can be roughly divided into 3 zones. Along the coastline where most of the population lives, malaria is uncommon. In the most remote scarcely populated areas of upper and middle Maroni and upper Oyapock, malaria is stable, perennial and well controlled. In low Maroni and low Oyapock, the impact of malaria is compounded by the high turnover of the population. There is a heavy and poorly controlled movement of migrant people on the two rivers that constitute the natural borders with Brazil and Surinam. Under these conditions strict measures cannot be implemented and malaria remains a problem in Guyana.

Emigration and Immigration↗