Descrizione del progetto
Rischio di disabilità durante le pandemie influenzali
Lo scorso anno c’è stato il 100° anniversario della pandemia di influenza del 1918 nota come influenza spagnola. Questa grave crisi della sanità pubblica colpì un terzo della popolazione mondiale e uccise milioni di persone. Le persone con disabilità possono essere più vulnerabili all’influenza, ma poche ricerche si sono focalizzate sulla disabilità come fattore di rischio. Secondo l’Organizzazione mondiale della sanità, oltre un miliardo di persone in tutto il mondo vive con una disabilità di qualche tipo. Il progetto DIS2, finanziato dall’UE, sta utilizzando modelli computazionali ad alta tecnologia per esplorare la disabilità e l’infezione durante la pandemia del 1918. L’accurata modellizzazione delle relazioni osservate consentirà di testare potenziali interventi per migliorare gli esiti dei pazienti in un’eventuale prossima pandemia.
Obiettivo
A global influenza pandemic is imminent and public health preparedness plans that address the needs of vulnerable populations are indispensable. While researchers have documented socioeconomic and geographic variables that contribute to disparities in infection and mortality, there has been little to no investigation of disability as a risk factor during influenza pandemics, despite the warnings of epidemiologists that persons with disabilities would be at increased risk. Drawing on rich historical data from the 1918 influenza pandemic, this project addresses this gap through a novel interdisciplinary and mixed methods approach. Quantitative and qualitative analyses will explore differential outcomes based on forms of disability and institutionalisation. Results of demographic analyses and insights from archival, historical, and ethnographic literature will inform the construction of an agent-based computer simulation model that will help explain observed patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of potential interventions. A short visit will enable regional comparisons between Norway and Sweden and enhance theoretical and methodological links between epidemiological and disability research. The fellow will benefit from the expertise of a European centre of excellent research, the Centre for Welfare and Labour Research, at Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway. Building on the fellow's previous work and skills in both epidemic modelling and disability research, the project activities will lead to further development of the fellow's professional maturity, while the results will have a key impact on the advancement of multiple academic disciplines, and as called for in EU and UN policies, on the improvement of the citizen rights and health of persons with disabilities.
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EFCoordinatore
0167 Oslo
Norvegia