Community-based actions in consulates: a new paradigm for opportunities for systematic integration in Chagas disease detection

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2023-12, Vol.23 (1), p.847-847, Article 847
• Main Authors: Gómez I Prat, Jordi, Gregori, Maria Serrano, Guiu, Isabel Claveria, Choque, Estefa, Flores-Chavez, Maria Delmans, Molina, Israel, Zarzuela, Francesc, Sulleiro, Elena, Dehousse, Aurore, Albajar-Vinas, Pedro, Ouaarab, Hakima
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anemia; Care and treatment; Chagas disease; Chagas Disease - diagnosis; Chagas Disease - epidemiology; Collaboration; Community action; Community health services; Community Participation; Concomitant infections; Consulates; Diagnosis; Diplomatic & consular services; Disease detection; Eosinophilia; Female; Giardiasis; Health aspects; Health care facilities; Health community-based strategy; Health facilities; Hepatitis C; Humans; Immigrants; Immigration policy; In-situ screening; Infections; Infectious diseases; International organizations; Iron deficiency; Mass Screening; Medical diagnosis; Medical personnel; Medical research; Medical screening; Medicine, Experimental; Methods; Migrant population; Nutrient deficiency; Opportunities for systematic integration; Parasitic diseases; Protozoa; Public health; Schedules; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social aspects; STD; Strongyloidiasis; Syphilis; Tropical diseases; Vaccination; Vector-borne diseases
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-08844-2

Research has shown that multidimensional approaches to Chagas disease (CD), integrating its biomedical and psycho-socio-cultural components, are successful in enhancing early access to diagnosis, treatment and sustainable follow-up.For the first time, a consulate was selected for a community-based CD detection campaign. Two different strategies were designed, implemented and compared between 2021 and 2022 at the Consulate General of Bolivia and a reference health facility in Barcelona open to all Bolivians in Catalonia.Strategy 1 consisted in CD awareness-raising activities before referring those interested to the reference facility for infectious disease screening. Strategy 2 offered additional in-situ serological CD screening. Most of the 307 participants were Bolivian women residents in Barcelona. In strategy 1, 73 people (35.8% of those who were offered the test) were screened and 19.2% of them were diagnosed with CD. Additionally, 53,4% completed their vaccination schedules and 28.8% were treated for other parasitic infections (strongyloidiasis, giardiasis, eosinophilia, syphilis). In strategy 2, 103 people were screened in-situ (100% of those who were offered the test) and 13.5% received a CD diagnosis. 21,4% completed their vaccination schedule at the reference health facility and 2,9% were referred for iron deficiency anemia, strongyloidiasis or chronic hepatitis C.The fact that the screening took place in an official workplace of representatives of their own country, together with the presence of community-based participants fueled trust and increased CD understanding. Each of the strategies assessed had different benefits. Opportunities for systematic integration for CD based on community action in consulates may enhance early access to diagnosis, care and disease prevention.