Abstract

OUTBREAK OF INVASIVE MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE DURING ECONOMIC RECESSION; A JUSTIFICATION TO THE ROLE OF LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS: A REVIEW

Dr. Balarabe S.A.

ABSTRACT

Acute bacterial meningitis is a well known climatic sensitive disease in "African meningitis belt" with about one quarter of the incidence variability being attributable to climatic influence. environmental characteristics play a significant role in clinical manifestation of meningococcal disease in addition to factors related to infective agent and host's immunity. In a typical Hausa community in northern Nigeria, meningitis is believed to have dietary bases, in form of food deprivation (malnutrition) attributable to low socioeconomic status. This traditional believes are similar to risk factors identified in epidemiological studies around the globe. Substantial magnitude of the relationship between low socioeconomic status and Invasive Meningococcal Disease (IMD), made the scale of the public health problem explicit. Therefore, further studies to analyze the relation between individual and area-based characteristics and the incidence of meningococcal disease using multilevel modelling are required. However, understanding public perception in relation to a phenomenon is very significant for the design of effective public campaign and preventive strategies.

Keywords: Invasive Meningococcal Disease, low socioeconomic status, Economic recession, "African meningitis belt".