Social mixing patterns relevant to infectious diseases spread by close contact in urban Blantyre, Malawi.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Understanding human mixing patterns relevant to infectious diseases spread through close contact is vital for modelling transmission dynamics and optimisation of disease control strategies. Mixing patterns in low-income countries like Malawi are not well known.

Methodology

We conducted a social mixing survey in urban Blantyre, Malawi between April and July 2021 (between the 2nd and 3rd wave of COVID-19 infections). Participants living in densely-populated neighbourhoods were randomly sampled and, if they consented, reported their physical and non-physical contacts within and outside homes lasting at least 5 min during the previous day. Age-specific mixing rates were calculated, and a negative binomial mixed effects model was used to estimate determinants of cont

SUBMITTER: Thindwa D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9176177 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature