BackgroundInsecticides targeting adult mosquitoes are the main way of controlling malaria. They work not only by killing mosquitoes, but also by repelling and irritating them. Indeed their repellent action gives valuable personal protection against biting mosquitoes. In the context of malaria control this personal protection is especially relevant when mosquitoes are infectious, whereas to protect the community we would prefer that the mosquitoes that are not yet infectious are killed (so, not repelled) by the insecticide. As the infectious stage of malaria parasites increases the motivation of mosquitoes to bite, we predicted that it would also change their behavioural response to insecticides.ResultsWith two systems, a laboratory isolate of the rodent malaria Plasmodium berghei infecting Anopheles gambiae and several isolates of P. falciparum obtained from schoolchildren in Tanzania that infected Anopheles arabiensis, we found that mosquitoes harbouring the infectious stage (the sporozoites) of the parasite were less repelled by permethrin-treated nets than uninfected ones.ConclusionsOur results suggest that, at least in the laboratory, malaria infection decreases the personal protection offered by insecticide-treated nets at the stage where the personal protection is most valuable. Further studies must investigate whether these results hold true in the field and whether the less effective personal protection can be balanced by increased community protection.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2846-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Background: Medication literacy encompasses the cognitive and social skills necessary for individuals to obtain, comprehend, communicate, calculate, and process medication-related information necessary to make informed decisions. Personal and contextual factors are widely recognized to influence the way that individuals acquire and maintain medication literacy skills. Despite a growing number of studies on medication literacy, current definitions remain general, lacking consideration for the specificities of older adults and hospitalization. Objective: The project was conducted to identify, compare, and summarize the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of medication literacy in hospitalized older adults and to propose a refined definition. Methods: A three-phase hybrid model of concept development was performed that included a literature review and focus groups with hospital nurses. In the final analytic phase, findings from the literature and focus groups were compared, and a refined definition of the concept was elaborated. Key Results: From the synthesis of 24 publications and the narrative data of 14 hospital nurses, 19 themes were described: 4 related to attributes, 8 to antecedents, and 7 to consequences. Medication literacy of hospitalized older adults has been further defined as the degree to which older adults and/or their natural caregivers can develop and maintain multidimensional skills, namely functional, interactive, and critical medication literacy skills. Adjustment of these skills is characterized by a dynamic and potentially complex process. In practice, optimal medication literacy might be achieved through control of and involvement in the medication regimen and the decisions related to it, and/or by using practical means to facilitate medication self-management (e.g., using lists, notes, reminders). Conclusions: The proposed refined definition might enhance professionals' common understanding of the concept and its application in practice, policy, and research. Managing a medication regimen is a complex activity that requires a high level of integration and coordination of cognitive and social skills. [ HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice . 2022;6(2):e70–e83. ] Plain Language Summary: Based on the literature on medication literacy and the experiences of nurses working in hospitals, this article defines medication literacy in hospitalized older adults. This definition will help professionals to better understand challenges related to medication literacy in older patients and to propose adequate support (i.e., provide education, simplify medication prescriptions, propose practical aids such as a pillbox).

Disparities in control mechanisms to prevent the spread of Chagas disease in Switzerland raise questions about the process of its recognition as a public health problem, particularly as it concerns migrant populations. With a focus on congenital screening practices, I explore the way in which health care providers experience, problematize and respond to the disease, acting as key agents not only in the provision of care but also in the recognition of Chagas disease as a problem that needs to be addressed. Such an approach contributes to the understanding of processes of public health agenda creation around neglected tropical diseases in non-endemic countries.