Socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of malaria among the migrants in gold mining, rubber and oil palm plantation areas in Myanmar

Abstract

BackgroundMalaria is a major public health problem in Myanmar. Migrant populations are at high risk of contracting malaria and its control is more difficult than for settled population. Studies on malaria and migration are rare in Myanmar. This study was undertaken with the main objective of identifying socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of malaria among the migrant workers involved in gold mining, rubber and oil palm plantations.MethodsA cross-sectional analytic study was conducted using pretested interview-administered questionnaires among internal migrants (n = 406) in the malaria endemic townships of Shwegyin, Bago Region, Thanbyuzayat, Mon State and Kawthaung, Taninthayi Region from August to November, 2015. Data were collected by well-trained Basic Health Staff members in study areas, and then analysed by SPSS version 16.0 using Chi-square tests with significant level at 0.05.ResultsMajority of participants were male, Bahmar nationals, married and with primary basic education level and below. The mean duration of migratory work was 4.51 years. 43.1% of them gave definite previous history of malaria within last two years during migration. 92.9% (377/406) of them always used bed nets. Malaria determinants found were male gender (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.22–2.77; P = 0.0040), habit of going out at dawn (OR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.58–3.52; P < 0.001), usual sleeping indoors (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.04–4.42; P = 0.036), torn bed net or net with large hole(s) (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.21–3.3; P = 0.006), habit of not always sleeping under a bed net at night (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.15–3.52; P = 0.014), alcohol drinking (OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.73–4.26; P < 0.001) and failure to attend malaria health talk (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.2–2.65; P = 0.004).ConclusionsThe present study highlighted that it is warranted to launch an effective health education programme for malaria, and to encourage the proper use of insecticide-treated bed nets, blankets and/or mufflers and mosquito repellents to reduce the occurrence of malaria among the migrants.

Multisectoral Approach to Support Use of Insecticide-Treated Net for Malaria Prevention Among Mobile and Migrant Populations in Myanmar: A Systematic Review

“…All the included studies were undertaken among MMPs in the MARC zones in various administrative regions of Myanmar ( Figure 2 ). Of the 9 studies, 6 were undertaken in more than 1 MARC zone [ 17 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 23 , 25 ], while a single study was done in a MARC zone of Bago region [ 22 ] and 2 studies in Tanintharyi region [ 19 , 23 ]. The publication years ranged from 2014 to 2019.…”

Inter-sectoral approaches for the prevention and control of malaria among the mobile and migrant populations: a scoping review

“…The initial search yielded 174 citations. After the title and abstract screening, a total of 53 studies were considered and a final of 36 studies met our inclusion criteria [ 15 , 20 , 22 – 55 ]. A list of seventeen excluded studies along with the main reasons for exclusion is provided in Additional file 2 .…”

“…The key characteristics of the included studies are provided in Table 1 . Eleven studies (30.5%) were from Myanmar [ 20 , 25 , 26 , 35 – 37 , 39 , 48 , 51 , 54 , 55 ], four studies (11.1%) from Cambodia [ 22 , 40 , 43 , 52 ], three studies from French Guiana [ 45 , 46 , 48 ] and two studies each from China [ 15 , 50 ], Thailand [ 23 , 27 ], Sri Lanka [ 28 , 32 ] and Uganda [ 24 , 33 ]. The remaining ten single studies were done in Columbia [ 43 ], Congo [ 44 ], Ethiopia [ 41 ], Lao [ 52 ], Malaysia [ 38 ], Namibia [ 34 ], Pakistan [ 31 ], Sierra Leone [ 29 ], Suriname [ 30 ] and South America [ 47 ].…”

“…Among the studies that measured an outcome of malaria case reduction, five studies (with six datasets) provided data with comparable reporting methods [ 15 , 23 , 29 , 41 , 55 ] with either a comparison before and after interventions or between intervention and no-intervention. An intervention for utilization of ITNs/LLINs was two times more likely to reduce malaria incidence amongst the targeted MMPs (summary OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.43–2.6) (Fig.…”

The impact of industrial activities on vector-borne disease transmission

“…between malaria transmission zones, and (iii) various direct and indirect economic and demographic factors linked to mining activities (Confalonieri et al, 2014;Bauch et al, 2015;Andrade et al, 1995;Veeken, 1993;Soe et al, 2017). Firstly, mining methods can create ideal aquatic ecological niches for vector anopheline mosquitoes to propagate and survive (Fernando et al, 2016).…”