Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37853318›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2023

The geographical distribution and socioeconomic risk factors of COVID-19, tuberculosis and leprosy in Fortaleza, Brazil.

A T Taal, J G Barreto, G Dos Santos de Sousa, A Medeiros da Rocha, N N Lima Ferreira, J A Menezes da Silva, D C Hinders, W H van Brakel, J H Richardus, D J Blok

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

A T TaalNLR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.taal@nlrinternational.org.
J G BarretoFederal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil.
G Dos Santos de SousaFortaleza Municipal Health Secretariat, Fortaleza, Brazil.
A Medeiros da RochaNHR Brasil, Fortaleza, Brazil.
N N Lima FerreiraNHR Brasil, Fortaleza, Brazil.
J A Menezes da SilvaNHR Brasil, Fortaleza, Brazil.
D C HindersNLR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
W H van BrakelNLR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
J H RichardusErasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
D J BlokErasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Netherlands Leprosy Relief · NLErasmus MC · NLUniversidade de Fortaleza · BRUniversidade Federal do Pará · BR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFortaleza (Brazil) is high endemic for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy. These three diseases share respiratory droplets through coughing or sneezing as the main mode of transmission but differ in incubation time, with COVID-19 having a short and leprosy a long incubation time. Consequently, contacts of a patient are at higher risk of infection and developing these diseases. There might be scope for combined preventive measures, but a better understanding of the geographical distribution and relevant socioeconomic risk factors of the three diseases is needed first. This study aims to describe the geographic distribution of COVID-19, TB and leprosy incidence and to identify common socioeconomic risk factors.

methodsThe total number of new cases of COVID-19, TB and leprosy, as well as socioeconomic and demographic variables, were retrieved from official registers. The geographical distribution of COVID-19, TB and leprosy rates per neighbourhood was visualised in Quantum GIS, and spatial autocorrelation was measured with Moran's I in GeoDa. A spatial regression model was applied to understand the association between COVID-19, TB, leprosy rates, and socioeconomic factors.

resultsCOVID-19 and TB showed a more homogenous distribution, whereas leprosy is located more in the south and west of Fortaleza. One neighbourhood (Pedras) in the southeast was identified as high endemic for all three diseases. Literacy was a socioeconomic risk factor for all three diseases: a high literacy rate increases the risk of COVID-19, and a low literacy rate (i.e., illiteracy) increases the risk of TB and leprosy. In addition, high income was associated with COVID-19, while low income with TB.

conclusionsDespite the similar mode of transmission, COVID-19, TB and leprosy show a different distribution of cases in Fortaleza. In addition, associated risk factors are related to wealth in COVID-19 and to poverty in TB and leprosy. These findings may support policymakers in developing (partially combined) primary and secondary prevention considering the efficient use of resources.

Indexed as

COVID-19LeprosyTuberculosisBrazilHumansRisk FactorsSocioeconomic FactorsCOVID-19Geographical distributionLeprosySocioeconomic risk factorsTuberculosis

Identifiers

PMID37853318
PMCPMC10585722
OpenAlexW4387732713

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.