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Decreasing Incidence of Acute Respiratory Illness in Huilloc, Peru Through “Cover Your Cough” Education Erin Cooley, MS2, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA . Purpose The aim of this study is to reduce the instance of acute respiratory illness in the community of Huilloc, in the Cusco region of Peru, by educating newly elected health promoters on how to “cover your cough.” Methods • A formal door to door needs assessment as well as a review of local government data were used to determine health topics of concern in the community. •“Cover your Cough” education was most feasible given financial and time restrictions, as well as limited access to clean water. •A local NGO, Sacred Valley Health, was partnered with to develop culturally appropriate education and training materials in Spanish and Quechua. •In a one-hour training session, “promotoras” were taught the importance of covering your cough to reduce the spread of ARIs, and were Results •The promotoras were delayed in teaching the lesson in the classroom due to teacher strikes until September 2012. This project gave them more confidence and focus that will help them be effective leaders in their community. •This “mini – lesson” has been incorporated into all promotora orientations as a leadership-building exercise. •Additional “mini- public-health- lessons,” will be incorporated as part of future topic trainings for health promoters. Conclusions This project successfully trained ten promotoras in six communities, providing them with an opportunity for leadership development. Promotoras were able to teach the lesson to 80 children from kindergarten to 5 th grade. There is still a need for public health measures such as increased access to clean water and reduced exposure to indoor smoke through use of household chimneys to reduce rates of ARIs. Background “Gripe,” a term that encompasses a variety of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), was identified as the primary health concern in the community of Huilloc. ARIs are the leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age. 1 The cold and hypoxic environment of the high Andes makes ARIs particularly dangerous for young children. Other factors contributing to the high incidence of ARIs include: •limited access to clean water •indoor air pollution •crowded living conditions References: 1. Cherian, Thomas. "Acute respiratory infections." World Health Organization. N.p., 2009. Web. 9 Jul 2012. http://www.who.int/vaccine_research/diseases/ari/en/index.html Acknowledgments:Thank you to the Global Health Immersion Program, Dr. David Roesel, and the staff at Sacred Valley Health for all your support in making this project a success.
