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Disease and mobility: a neglected factor in epidemiology.
International Journal of Epidemiology
|September 1, 1977
Summary
Human mobility, including migration and circulation, significantly impacts disease spread. Understanding population movements is crucial for effective disease control and public health strategies, especially in tropical Africa.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Medical Geography
Background:
- Historical evidence links human mobility to disease transmission.
- Modern transport and disasters increase population movement, posing ongoing health risks.
- Rural-urban migration is a significant demographic shift in developing nations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the understudied role of human mobility in disease transmission.
- To emphasize the need for greater attention to population movements in epidemiological studies.
- To differentiate between migration and circulation and their health impacts.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical evidence on disease spread via human mobility.
- Analysis of contemporary population movements, including rural-urban shifts.
- Distinction between migration and circulation patterns.
Main Results:
- Population mobility, particularly in tropical Africa, facilitates disease transmission (e.g., malaria).
- Existing disease control programs are often prejudiced by unstudied human movement patterns.
- Parasites and vectors receive more research focus than human mobility factors.
Conclusions:
- Epidemiological studies must incorporate the complexities of population movements.
- Differentiating migration and circulation is essential for understanding disease dynamics.
- Human mobility presents diverse physical and psychological health hazards.