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Seasonal Healthcare Facility Recommendations for Areas at High Risk of Mosquito-Borne Disease in the US

Student(s):Edward Thomas, Carlos Ocasio, and Courtney Casimere
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
GLOBE Educator(s):Cassie Soeffing
Contributors:Dr. Rusty Low, IGES, scientist Peder Nelson, OSU, sme Dr. Erika Podest, NASA JPL, scientist Andrew Clark, IGES, EO Researcher and Data Analyst
Report Type(s):International Virtual Science Symposium Report, Mission Mosquito Report
Protocols:Earth As a System, Mosquitoes
Presentation Video: View Video
Presentation Poster: View Document
Language(s):English
Date Submitted:01/30/2023
Equipping healthcare systems in periods of high risk of disease transmission is critical to the prevention of acute overloading of underprepared systems, reducing the effects of system-stress on patients, providers, and communities. Of particular concern are mosquito-borne diseases, which have rapidly risen in the past two decades in the United States, with mosquito-borne disease epidemics occurring more frequently on a global level with rapidly evolving climate and social change. The vast majority of vector control organizations in the United States do not have the capacity for sufficient prevention and control, making the likelihood for system-overload a significant public health risk in the future. Using Niche Models of ten (10) mosquito species--Aedes Aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Aedes Polynesiensis, Aedes Vexans, Anopheles Claviger, Anopheles Messeae, Culex Bitaeniorhynchus, Culex Quinquefasciatus, Culex Tritaeniorhynchus, and Mansonia Uniformis--overlaid with latitude-longitude data of healthcare facilities, nine areas of high healthcare system-overload risk during mosquito seasons in the United States were identified, with four areas being of particularly high-risk for system-unpreparedness. Other cross-determinants were taken into account to place lack of system-presence and severity of overload-risk in geo-socio-economic context. We suggest that seasonal healthcare facilities be established in these regions to reduce risk of overloading-stress on care and providers in times of high mosquito-borne disease-risk. Keywords: Mosquito-Borne Disease, Healthcare Systems, Determinants of Public Health, Health System-Preparedness, Geo-socio-economics



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