Browsing by Author "C. Davies"

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Determinants of bednet ownership and use in visceral leishmaniasis-endemic areas of the Indian subcontinent
(2010) V. Vanlerberghe; S.P. Singh; I.S. Paudel; B. Ostyn; A. Picado; A. Sánchez; S. Rijal; S. Sundar; C. Davies; M. Boelaert
Objective To document ownership and use of bednets with its determinants in the visceral leishmaniasis (VL)-endemic region where mainly non-insecticide impregnated nets are available through commercial channels, and bednets are being considered as a leishmaniasis vector control measure. Methods In August-September 2006, semi-structured household (HH) questionnaires and observation guides were used in a random sample of 1330 HHs in VL-endemic districts of India and Nepal to collect data on VL knowledge, HH socio-economic status, bednet ownership and use patterns. An asset index was constructed to allow wealth ranking of the HH. A binary logistic response General Estimating Equations model was fitted to evaluate the determinants of bednet ownership and use. Results The proportion of HHs with at least one bednet purchased on the commercial market was 81.5% in India and 70.2% in Nepal. The bednets were used in all seasons by 50.6% and 54.1% of the Indian and Nepalese HH owning a bed net. There was striking inequity in bednet ownership: only 38.3% of the poorest quintile in Nepal owned at least one net, compared to 89.7% of the wealthiest quintile. In India, the same trend was observed though somewhat less pronounced (73.6%vs. 93.7%). Multivariate analysis showed that poverty was an important independent predictor for not having a bednet in the HH [OR 5.39 (2.90-10.03)]. Conclusion Given the inequity in commercial bednet ownership, free distribution of insecticide-treated bednets to the general population seems imperative to achieve a mass effect on vector density. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
The effects of air pollution on urban ecosystems and agriculture
(2011) J.N.B. Bell; S.A. Power; N. Jarraud; M. Agrawal; C. Davies
Over half the global population live in cities, with this proportion rising rapidly. Yet relatively little attention has been paid to the health of urban ecosystems, which are subject to more severe stresses in many cases than their rural counterparts. In this paper, the importance of urban ecosystems, including agriculture, is emphasised, with particular consideration given to the impacts of air pollution. Techniques for studying these impacts are fumigations, filtrations, transect studies and the use of chemical protectants, examples of which are considered for both the developed and developing world. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and coal smoke formerly dominated the developed world and remain a growing problem in the developing countries. In both regions, the 'modern' pollutants, in the form of nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM10), are also major problems for urban vegetation. Despite generally lower pollutant levels in the developed world, there is evidence that both crops and wild species are adversely impacted. However, urban crops in the developing countries have been shown to be of paramount importance for nutrition of the urban poor, yet studies in India indicate that their yield and quality are seriously impaired. Both fungal pathogens and insect pests of plants are also impacted, and examples are given in this paper. The most sensitive organisms are lichens, and research is described in which changes in air quality in London over the last 40 years have resulted in major shifts in the lichen flora. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.