Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires"

Research and training in cultural epidemiology for South African public health priorities

A critical component of disease control and public health action requires consideration of population behaviour associated with risk or relief from health problems. This focus complements a public health need for knowledge about specific disease processes, interventions, and health systems. The current project considered how concepts and methods of cultural epidemiology, innovated at the Swiss Tropical Institute (STI), would be usefully applied to health research priorities in South Africa through a partnership for research and training between the STI and the University of Witwatersrand School of Public Health (WITS), Johannesburg. Three complementary activities included a project development workshop, support for training a Wits student in a cultural epidemiology course at the STI, and support for  a Master's student field research project.

The project development workshop led to the design of a study of stigma, gender, and sociocultural determinants of antiretroviral therapy (ART) uptake and adherence in rural South Africa. The topic concerns a major priority for public health in that country, and the project was motivated by consideration of problems encountered in the field that would benefit from efforts to explain the cultural basis of illness behaviour and acceptable care. A second study planned in the workshop focussed on interest at Wits in the self-management of type 2 diabetes. Findings showed the condition was a recognized medical problem. It also indicated the vulnerability of women, for whom overweight and obesity, which are risk factors, are culturally acceptable if not desirable.

Activities supported by this project are contributing to an agenda for developing bilateral research partnerships of Switzerland and South Africa.

Contact addresses for further information:

Mitchell Weiss, MD, PhD
Professor and Head of Department
Swiss Tropical Institute
Department of Public Health and Epidemiology
Socinstrasse 57
CH-4002 Basel
E-mail: Mitchell-G.Weiss@unibas.ch

Sharon Fonn, MBBCh, PhD, FCCH
Professor and Head of the School
University of Witwatersrand
School of Public Health
Faculty of Health Sciences
Johannesburg, South Africa
E-mail: Sharon.Fonn@wits.ac.za

Photo to illustrate abstract:

Caption:
Pilot study of type 2 Diabetes in a rural South African community.