Vector surveillance is essential in reducing and preventing the incidents of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) such as malaria, dengue, Zika virus, and others. The efficiency of vector surveillance programs, and programs in general on health, are also dependent on who participates and how. Gender is a hidden dimension of vector surveillance that might influence the design of systems, access to information, quality of work, and – ultimately – the outcomes of surveillance.
In this article, we will consider how gender dynamics can influence efforts in vector surveillance, drawing lessons from the Third International Course on Vector Surveillance and Control to directivity with relation to vector surveillance, present select findings from the course, and discuss how inclusivity may further shape vector surveillance as a global public health good.
The Importance of Gender Dynamics in Vector Surveillance
Vector surveillance requires extensive monitoring, targeted treatment, and control measures to reduce disease transmission across the complex and dynamic life cycle of vectors of human disease. A real-world vector surveillance program typically comes together as a combination of many skill sets, including entomologists, epidemiologists, public health professionals, and community workers. How gender intersects with the issue is multifold:
Fieldwork Participation:
Gender representation: Gender composition of teams involved in the fieldwork can impact the effectiveness of surveillance activities, for instance in countries where women are traditionally not invited to participate due to gender norms or where women cannot participate for safety reasons.
Community engagement: Women play a vital role in community health and could be more successful at engaging with local communities, especially in contexts where gender roles are particularly pronounced. Their seeking of consent and engagement in vector surveillance campaigns could improve community engagement and fidelity to control measures.
Data Collection and Analysis:
Gender-sensitivity in data-collection: Gender-based differences can modify exposure to the vector and the disease. For example, men and women may have different patterns of outdoor activity or domestic roles, and thus exposure to vectors will vary.
B example where analysis of vector surveillance data that excludes leads to a biased conclusion. If the data most strongly reflected the experience of only one sex, for example, vectors could be missing trends and observations
Policy and Program Design:
Inclusive Policy-Making: policies for vector surveillance can be easily designed with gender-inclusive considerations. They ensure engagement to make policies more gender-equitable and effective.
Training and Capacity Building: This involves integrating gender perspectives into training modules for vector surveillance professionals Enhancing Methods: This aims to improve disease outbreak-control training for women and girls globally.
Insights from the Third International Course on Vector Surveillance and Control
The Third International Course on Vector Surveillance and Control, [Location/Year], emphasised the importance of integrating gender considerations into vector surveillance and control: Here are some of their insights:
Enhanced Gender Inclusivity in Course Design:
The course also insisted on gender parity in vector surveillance, and was strong on gender monitoring; equal numbers of male and female participants were present. This balance bred good discussion, but there was also an underlying sense that male and female entomologists would take different approaches to vector control.
One panel focused on how gender affects the transmission of vector-borne disease; another considered how gender would shape the design of new surveillance regimes. Many sessions emphasized that planned programs needed to consider the needs of different kinds of populations, most notably through more gender-specific lines of data collection and intervention.
Case Studies Highlighting Gender Impact:
Case studies from various locations demonstrated how different genders and the context of surveillance affected results – some cultures don’t allow female fieldworkers to do home surveys if they have to enter a man’s space, which compromises data collection.
Some case studies also showcased good examples of how to bring gender considerations into vector surveillance, either in coordinated programs or simply due to the personal impression of a communicable disease doctor. This led to improved community participation and a more precise targeting of interventions.
Workshops and Interactive Discussions:
We will conduct workshops on gender-sensitive surveillance and surveillance tools, along with interactive discussions on addressing gender barriers and leveraging gender diversity to improve vector control targeting.
Practical exercises schooled them in creating action plans for integrating gender perspectives into vector surveillance programs, such as identifying challenges and how to overcome them, what approaches work for whom, and how to create an enabling environment.
Policy Recommendations:
The class produced policy recommendations urging inclusivity about gender in vector surveillance programs – measures that included enhancing gender parity among surveillance teams, integrating sex-disaggregated data in the analysis, and ensuring that policies meet the needs of all genders.
The Broader Implications for Global Health
The lessons learned through the Third International Course highlight the larger consequences of gendered relationships for vector surveillance in global health:
Improved Program Effectiveness:
Ensuring that programs consider gender could improve surveillance – or even vector control – programs to better target diverse populations and enable more effective disease control.
Enhanced Community Engagement:
Gender-inclusive surveillance means better community engagement and greater cooperation. When women participate in surveillance activities and decision-making for vector control, they enhance the program’s effectiveness and garner greater support from the community.
Policy and Funding Implications:
Gender-sensitive policies and practices shape resource allocation Taking this into account, the nature and design of rules and programs are important. If donors and funding agencies understand the value of gender equality in improving public health, they are more likely to endorse funding for such programs.
Promoting Equity and Social Justice:
Turning our minds to gender not only makes for fairer ways of organizing our vector-surveillance efforts but also opens up more voices to participate. Moreover, this shift can change entire institutional cultures toward equity and social justice. When public health guarantees that women, men, and everyone in between play a public role in controlling vectors and benefit from such actions, it becomes a vehicle for a more equitable and just world. Ultimately, fostering inclusivity in these efforts enhances community engagement and effectiveness in public health initiatives.
Moving Forward: Strategies for Enhancing Gender Inclusivity
To improve gender inclusivity in vector surveillance in line with lessons learned at the Third International Course and extend these lessons to other related areas, we suggest the following actions:
Develop Gender-Sensitive Training Programs:
Such modules could be integrated into training programmes for vector surveillance professionals, to increase gender awareness among practitioners.
Promote Gender Balance in Teams:
Targeted recruitment to increase the gender balance of surveillance teams both in the field and in decision-making roles should be encouraged, alongside supportive policies and practices to address barriers to participation.
Integrate Gender Perspectives into Data Collection:
Gender-disaggregated data collection tools and protocols should be developed to ensure that the data captures existing differences between men and women for exposure, the burden of disease, and access to health services.
Foster Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing:
Collaboration with other organizations and with experts on gender and health can give social science recommendations on how to embed gender into vector surveillance programs from the start and share insights and best practices.
Advocate for Policy Change:
Activist efforts focusing on vector surveillance programs should therefore target gender-inclusive policymaking and program design. Engaging with policymakers and stakeholders to focus attention on the increased effectiveness, efficiency and public health benefits of gender-inclusive surveillance can help to build support for precisely these kinds of gender-sensitive interventions.
In addition, gender relations are a key factor in vector surveillance and control. For instance, the Third International Course on Vector Surveillance and Control concluded that “no surveillance or intervention program will beat disease without paying dedicated attention to gender considerations.” Therefore, applying a gender-sensitive lens to collecting data, designing programs, and creating policies will enhance community involvement and improve programmatic and public health outcomes.
