{"title":"Primary schools' readiness for SARS-CoV-2 preventive measures in Maputo City, Mozambique: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Adilson Fernando Loforte Bauhofer, Ramígio Pololo, Assucênio Chissaque, Fernanda Campos, Édio Ussivane, Luciana António, Fátima Iahaia, Emerson Miranda, Aline Gatambire, Luzia Gonçalves, Nilsa de Deus, Osvaldo Inlamea","doi":"10.1093/inthealth/ihaf001","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To reduce the spread and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), schools implemented a series of non-pharmacological interventions such as handwashing stations and cleaning protocols. A baseline assessment of the available interventions and readiness scores for SARS-CoV-2 prevention was conducted in primary schools in Maputo City, Mozambique.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted between August and October 2023. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire that assessed the availability of preventive measures. Readiness scores were calculated, based on the relative frequency of available preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2, recommended by the government. Schools with readiness scores of 100% were considered ready.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the enrolled schools, 60.6% (66/109) were from the public sector. The median readiness score for preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 implemented in schools was 70%. Water was the most frequent available measure, with 98.2% (107/109). Ash/soap for handwashing (47.7% [52/109]) and functioning thermometers (31.2% [34/109]) were the least available measures. Private schools showed significantly higher readiness scores compared with public schools (p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Private compared with public schools had higher readiness scores for preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 in Maputo City, Mozambique. These findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to improve readiness in public schools.</p>","PeriodicalId":49060,"journal":{"name":"International Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihaf001","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: To reduce the spread and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), schools implemented a series of non-pharmacological interventions such as handwashing stations and cleaning protocols. A baseline assessment of the available interventions and readiness scores for SARS-CoV-2 prevention was conducted in primary schools in Maputo City, Mozambique.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between August and October 2023. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire that assessed the availability of preventive measures. Readiness scores were calculated, based on the relative frequency of available preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2, recommended by the government. Schools with readiness scores of 100% were considered ready.
Results: Of the enrolled schools, 60.6% (66/109) were from the public sector. The median readiness score for preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 implemented in schools was 70%. Water was the most frequent available measure, with 98.2% (107/109). Ash/soap for handwashing (47.7% [52/109]) and functioning thermometers (31.2% [34/109]) were the least available measures. Private schools showed significantly higher readiness scores compared with public schools (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Private compared with public schools had higher readiness scores for preventive measures against SARS-CoV-2 in Maputo City, Mozambique. These findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to improve readiness in public schools.
期刊介绍:
International Health is an official journal of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. It publishes original, peer-reviewed articles and reviews on all aspects of global health including the social and economic aspects of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health systems research, policy and implementation, and the evaluation of disease control programmes and healthcare delivery solutions.
It aims to stimulate scientific and policy debate and provide a forum for analysis and opinion sharing for individuals and organisations engaged in all areas of global health.