EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE PREVENTIVE EFFECTIVENESS IN SEASONAL INFECTIONS

Abstract

Seasonal infections such as influenza acute respiratory infections and viral gastroenteritis impose recurrent burdens on health systems communities and households. This study evaluates the effectiveness of individual preventive behaviors and collective public health interventions in reducing incidence severity and social disruption during seasonal peaks. A mixed methods design was used combining analysis of regional surveillance data a cross sectional population survey with fifteen hundred respondents and program evaluation of three community interventions implemented over two consecutive seasons. Key individual measures examined included vaccination hand hygiene respiratory etiquette and voluntary mask use. Collective measures examined included mobile vaccination clinics school based hygiene promotion workplace sick leave policies and public communication campaigns. Results show that individual vaccination and consistent hand hygiene are associated with substantial reductions in symptomatic infection and hospitalization. Collective interventions increased uptake of individual measures improved equity of access and amplified population level protection. Combined individual and collective strategies produced the largest reductions in incidence absenteeism and health care utilization. The study concludes that integrated prevention packages that address access information and social supports are most effective in controlling seasonal infections.