Dengue fever larval control in New Caledonia: assessment of a door-to-door health educators program.
This article describes the assessment of a door-to-door community education program designed to promote larval control of Aedes aegypti, the vector of dengue fever in New Caledonia. This program took place in the Territory's Southern Province over a period of nine months beginning in November 2003. The agents, hired for their communications abilities, were given training about dengue fever and in communications and they were then supported and assessed right through to the end of the program. A two-part assessment made it possible to verify the quality of the agents' work and its impact on the population's behaviour towards larval breeding areas over time. No difficulties were encountered applying the communications techniques in the field and the percentage of dwellings with potential breeding areas decreased significantly after the agents' visits, an impact that was maintained at least three weeks afterwards.
Noel
Martine
M
Heath Action Department, DPASS Sud (Southern Province Health and Social Affairs Department), New Caledonia. martine.noel@gouv.nc
D000330:Aedes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000818:Animals; D019058:Community Networks; D003715:Dengue / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects*; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009510:New Caledonia; D015397:Program Evaluation