Understanding STDs in Malawi.

Publisher: African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation Country of Publication: Uganda NLM ID: 7905114 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0141-9536 (Print) Linking ISSN: 01419536 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Afr Health

Publication: Kampala, Uganda : African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation
Original Publication: Sutton, Eng., : IPC Middle East Pub. Co.

Culture* ; Evaluation Studies as Topic* ; HIV Infections* ; Interviews as Topic* ; Knowledge* ; Rural Population* ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases* ; Urban Population* ; Urogenital System*; Africa ; Africa South of the Sahara ; Africa, Eastern ; Biology ; Demography ; Developing Countries ; Disease ; Infections ; Malawi ; Physiology ; Population ; Population Characteristics ; Virus Diseases

Indexing Agency: PIP Local ID #: 101056. Indexing Agency: POP Local ID #: 00233581.
Keywords: Africa; Africa South Of The Sahara; Beliefs*; Biology; Critique*; Culture; Demographic Factors; Developing Countries; Diseases; Eastern Africa; English Speaking Africa; Hiv Infections--prevention and control*; Infections; Interviews*; Knowledge*; Malawi; Physiology; Population; Population Characteristics; Reproductive Tract Infections; Rural Population*; Sexually Transmitted Diseases--prevention and control*; Urban Population--men*; Urogenital Effects*; Urogenital System; Viral Diseases
Note: TJ: AFRICA HEALTH
Local Abstract: [PIP] AIDS control efforts in Malawi include efforts to control other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). STD control requires a thorough understanding of specific STD prevalence, the potential for managing the STDs without laboratory diagnosis, the efficacy of various antibiotic regimens, and appropriate health-seeking behavior on the part of STD sufferers. Data from several studies were used to modify the World Health Organization STD syndrome management guidelines for use in Malawi. In one ethnographic study, 154 men and women in 2 rural towns were interviewed about their knowledge, beliefs, and experiences with STDs. They described 21 illnesses as sexually transmitted, including several with commonly recognizable biomedical aliases. The people seemed able to differentiate various STDs by their symptoms, although they often described early and late symptoms of the same disease as 2 separate diseases. Information gleaned on health-seeking behavior led to recommendations that communication efforts be undertaken to encourage abstinence during symptoms and the early seeking of treatment from biomedical personnel as well as to provide positive reinforcements of the image of biomedical healers. Another study was undertaken to determine the relative contribution of chancroid and syphilis to genital ulcer disease (GUD), to evaluate the effectiveness of 5 antibiotic therapies for GUD, and to collect data on the characteristics of 778 men presenting with GUD at an urban clinic between September 1992 and March 1993. It was found that cancroid contributed as much to GUD as syphilis in this population, and the cancroid prevalence rate was between 32.8 and 44.6%. Therefore, the researchers recommended treating patients with GUD for both syphilis and chancroid. Erythromycin and ciprofloxacin were effective treatments, whereas trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole was not. A third study assessed relative frequency of gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis in urban men. The data from this study suggested that asymptomatic infection could be significant in cases where urethritis is treated ineffectively (through self-medication or inappropriately prescribed drugs). Therefore, researchers recommended that highly effective treatment for gonococcal and nongonococcal urethritis be given at the first visit and that inexpensive and easy screening methods be developed to identify asymptomatic male urethritis.

Date Created: 19941101 Date Completed: 19950209 Latest Revision: 20191210

20231215

12345750