ABSTRACT
In response to the recent cholera outbreak, a public health response targeted high-risk communities, including resource-poor communities in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A survey covering knowledge and practices indicated that hygiene messages were received and induced behavior change, specifically related to water treatment practices. Self-reported household water treatment increased from 30.3% to 73.9%.
Subject(s)
Cholera/epidemiology , Disease Outbreaks , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cholera/prevention & control , Cholera/therapy , Drinking Water/standards , Female , Fluid Therapy , Haiti/epidemiology , Humans , Hygiene , Male , Middle Aged , Public Health/education , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
When epidemic cholera appeared in Haiti in October 2010, the medical community there had virtually no experience with the disease and needed rapid training as the epidemic spread throughout the country. We developed a set of training materials specific to Haiti and launched a cascading training effort. Through a training-of-trainers course in November 14-15, 2010, and department-level training conducted in French and Creole over the following 3 weeks, 521 persons were trained and equipped to further train staff at the institutions where they worked. After the training, the hospitalized cholera patients' case-fatality rate dropped from 4% to <2% by mid-December and was <1% by January 2011. Continuing in-service training, monitoring and evaluation, and integration of cholera management into regular clinical training will help sustain this success.
