Changing Patterns of Health in Communities Impacted by a Bioenergy Project in Northern Sierra Leone

Astrid M. Knoblauch, Mary H. Hodges, Mohamed S. Bah, Habib I. Kamara, Anita Kargbo, Jusufu Paye, Hamid Turay, Emmanuel D. Nyorkor, Mark J. Divall, Yaobi Zhang, Jürg Utzinger and Mirko S. Winkler
Additional contact information
Astrid M. Knoblauch: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
Mary H. Hodges: Helen Keller International Sierra Leone, P.O. Box, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Mohamed S. Bah: Helen Keller International Sierra Leone, P.O. Box, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Habib I. Kamara: Helen Keller International Sierra Leone, P.O. Box, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Anita Kargbo: Helen Keller International Sierra Leone, P.O. Box, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Jusufu Paye: Helen Keller International Sierra Leone, P.O. Box, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Hamid Turay: Helen Keller International Sierra Leone, P.O. Box, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Emmanuel D. Nyorkor: Helen Keller International Sierra Leone, P.O. Box, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Mark J. Divall: SHAPE Consulting Ltd., Pretoria 0062, South Africa
Yaobi Zhang: Helen Keller International, Regional Office for Africa, P.O. Box, Dakar, Senegal
Jürg Utzinger: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
Mirko S. Winkler: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: Large private sector investments in low- and middle-income countries are often critically evaluated with regards to their environmental, social, human rights, and health impacts. A health impact assessment, including a baseline health survey, was commissioned by the Addax Bioenergy Sierra Leone project in 2010. As part of the monitoring, a follow-up survey was conducted three years later. A set of health indicators was assessed at six impacted and two control sites. Most of these indices improved, particularly at the impacted sites. The prevalences of stunting, wasting, and Plasmodium falciparum in children under five years of age decreased significantly at impacted sites (all p < 0.05) and non-significantly at control sites. Anemia in children and in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) decreased significantly at impacted and control sites ( p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Health facility-based deliveries increased significantly at the impacted sites ( p < 0.05). The prevalences of helminth infections in children aged 10–15 years remained approximately at the same levels, although focal increases at the impacted sites were noted. Access to improved sanitation decreased significantly ( p < 0.05) at control and non-significantly at impacted sites. Water quality remained poor without significant changes. The epidemiologic monitoring of a bioenergy project provides a useful contribution for evidence-based decision-making.

Keywords: anemia; bioenergy; health impact assessment; helminth infection; malaria; nutritional status; Sierra Leone (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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