Grant: Catalyst Grant: Methods and Measures for Gender, Sex and Health

Parasitic diseases account for significant morbidity, mortality and disability worldwide. As a group, these diseases affect over one-third of the world's population, primarily in developing countries. Much of the research evidence base documenting determinants of parasitic disease outcomes is limited in terms of gender analysis. This limitation needs to be overcome in order to better understand, and to more effectively, efficiently and equitably respond to reducing the burden of parasitic diseases. The overall objective of this research proposal is therefore to integrate gender analysis into research methods used in epidemiologic research on parasitic diseases. This will be accomplished by first identifying the gender gaps in current research, reviewing the fit of different methodological approaches in addressing these gaps, and undertaking a primary epidemiological research study in three different cultural endemic settings to identify gender determinants of infection. Among the myriad of parasitic diseases which occur worldwide are soil-transmitted worm infections that affect over 2 billion people in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The high risk groups for these worm infections are school-age children, pregnant women and pre-school children. Because the school-age children have the highest prevalence and intensity of these infections, and because reducing infection in this group will also reduce disease outcomes in other population groups (through a reduction in environmental pathogens), school-age children will be the focus of our initial research. The results we obtain will be used to plan a randomized controlled trial which would assess the impact of modifying one or more gender determinants in reducing parasite-attributable disease outcomes in this high risk group. A cost-effectiveness analysis will be done and continued interaction with local health authorities will inform effective health policy and practice.