Melanie Mann

This literature review aims to explore main risk factors that favor contracting leptospirosis in the event of urban flooding. A extensive literature search, with set inclusion and exclusion criteria was conducted. Findings from a final selection of 18 papers were analyzed, grouped and compared in detail using the PRISMA protocol for systematic literature reviews. Risk factors for leptospirosis in urban flooding can be divided into environmental, human and socioeconomic risk factors. Statistical significant factors include proximity of household to contaminated water, contact with host or contaminated water, presence of inadequate drainage system, poor refuse management, lack of protective clothing as well as poverty. Validity and reliability of these findings are limited due to random as well as systematic error in several studies. Small sample size and response bias were the main influencing factors for such error. More region specific quality research is needed to fully understand the complex epidemiology of leptospirosis. Improved water, sewer and sanitation systems, investment in health promotion and waste management as well as eradication of poverty might not only reduce leptospirosis during urban flooding but also prevent morbidity and mortality from other water- and vector-borne diseases. Risk factors highlighted in this review have the potential to support future guidelines for diagnosis and act as epidemiological determinants for leptospirosis infection for health service provider. GIS and other modelling approaches are promising future methods to identify risk zones that point to the source of infections such as leptospirosis during urban flooding.

This report provides a comprehensive risk analysis of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DRPK) with description of various hazards, vulnerabilities, damage and losses. It is particularly concerned with natural as well as man-made Disasters that happened in the DPRK in the last 50 years. It presents a summary of their occurrence, frequency and their impact on the population. It also will assess the impact on health, economy, the environment and the development of the country. In doing so it will determine main hazards and vulnerability factors present in North Korea in the past up to today. Such factors will be evaluated in order to identify structures and characteristics of the emergency and disaster response systems in place which serve to inform coping and adaptive strategies for communities at risk. Following this it will determine disaster prevention and response strategies implemented by authorities and stakeholders, local as well as governmental authorities. Conclusion made from this report might serve as a reference for disaster risk reduction efforts and disaster management for practitioners, and agencies involved in disasters. Thereby findings might have the potential to strengthen policy planning as well as efforts to mitigate risks with regards to Disaster Prevention and Response in the DPRK.

Background: UKs engagement in global health through Health Links seems to offer benefits on personal, professional and organizational level. However, the concept of Health Links is only in its infancy and particularly benefits perceived to make a positive impact on personal and professional development have not been monitored and evaluated in sufficient detail yet. This creates the need for further investigations in the field and particularly in the area of medical electives.
Purpose: To examine the impact of international involvement in Health Links on personal and professional development of medical students and to create an example of a systematic approach to monitoring and evaluating link performance in order to make use of their full potential.
Design: This paper proposes a qualitative exploratory study of observations and unstructured interviews with 20 medical students taking part in a University elective in Gambia, Africa.  Observations will take place over the 4 week elective. Interviews will be held at 4 weeks after return from the elective. The data will be analysed using the method of thematic analysis.
Conclusions: Limitations of previous studies could be overcome by emphasizing on Ethnographic interviewing techniques, focusing on medical student electives and combining observation and in-depth interviewing methods to gather longitudinal data on personal and professional development in order to create a more comprehensive source of information concerning the area of Health Links.