Astrid M Knoblauch
Biographic Data
| ID | 6272864 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Astrid M Knoblauch |
| GIVEN NAMES | Astrid M |
| FAMILY NAME | Knoblauch |
| SIGNATURE | KNOBLAUCH A M |
| AFFILIATIONS | Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5943-4362 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Potential benefits, opportunities, risks and challenges of population suppression gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control described in the scholarly literature
Gene drive mosquitoes represent a promising strategy to alter mosquito populations and reduce disease transmission. However, their use has generated considerable debate due to ecological, ethical, and societal concerns. This paper reviews risks, challenges, benefits, and opportunities of gene drive technology, focusing on environmental, social, economic, and health implications. A literature search of peer-reviewed articles published between Janu…
Assessing the quality of care in primary health care facilities in all municipalities in Kosovo 2016–2023
Introduction: Access to quality primary healthcare (PHC) in Kosovo is progressive with substantial reforms that have been implemented to promote the health of its people since its independence in 2008. However, substantial challenges remain, particularly among managing non-communicable diseases (NCD) like diabetes and hypertension, due to gaps in structural and procedural aspects. The Accessible Quality Healthcare project (2016-2027) aimed at imp…
Incidence of cough from acute exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Madagascar
Prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) is a known risk to respiratory health, causing chronic lung impairment. Yet, the immediate, acute effects of PM 2.5 exposure on respiratory symptoms, such as cough, are less understood. This pilot study aims to investigate this relationship using objective PM 2.5 and cough monitors. Fifteen participants from rural Madagascar were followed for three days, equipped with an RTI Enhanced Childre…
Walking the talk
Although Health Impact Assessment (HIA) has been gaining momentum over the past decade, it is still a relatively small field of practice. Here we explore whether possible opportunities to promote the field of HIA can be translated into concrete actions. We pursued an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. In a first step, HIA practitioners’ ideas were collected across 18 semi-structured interviews. Building on these insights, a survey que…
Exploring the Impact of Mining on Community Health and Health Service Delivery
Sub-Saharan Africa is rich in natural resources but also faces widespread poverty. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals brought increased attention to resource extraction projects, emphasizing their development potential in extraction regions. While mining companies are required to conduct environmental impact assessments, their effect on the project-affected communities' health mostly lacks systematic management, and their considera…
A social network analysis model approach to understand tuberculosis transmission in remote rural Madagascar
In remote Madagascar, SNA-informed models suggest that WHO-recommended interventions reduce TB disease (active TB) prevalence and mortality while TB infection (latent TB) burden remains high. Communities' resiliency to TB introduction decreases as their interconnectivity increases. "Top down" population level TB models would most likely miss this difference between small communities. SNA bridges large-scale population-based and hyper focused comm…
Spatial mobility and large-scale resource extraction
We examine population mobility around a newly-developed large-scale copper mine in Zambia and analyse how socioeconomic and health indicators differed amongst migrants, resettled households, and non-mobile local (e.g. non-migrant/-resettled) populations. Two cross-sectional household surveys in 2015 and 2019 collected quantitative data on health, socioeconomic indicators, and resettlement and migration status. A wealth index for the pooled sample…
Changes in socioeconomic determinants of health in a copper mine development area, northwestern Zambia
In 2011, an industrial copper mine was developed in northwestern Zambia. A health impact assessment was conducted to anticipate and address potential health impacts. To monitor these impacts, three community-based surveys were conducted in the area (2011, 2015 and 2019). We analysed these data to determine how household socioeconomic indicators – considered determinants of health – have changed in the area over time. In mine-impacted communities,…
Current Global Health Impact Assessment Practice
Health impact assessment (HIA) practice has expanded across the world, since it was established more than two decades ago. This paper presents a snapshot of current global HIA practice based on the findings of an online questionnaire survey. HIA practitioners from all world regions were invited to participate. A total of 122 HIA practitioners from 29 countries completed the survey, following a broad international outreach effort. The large variet…
Community Health Impacts of the Trident Copper Mine Project in Northwestern Zambia
The application of a health impact assessment (HIA) for a large-scale copper mining project in rural Zambia triggered the long-term monitoring and evaluation of determinants of health and health outcomes in communities living in proximity to the mine. Three consecutive cross-sectional surveys were conducted at intervals of four years; thus, at baseline (2011), four (2015) and eight (2019) years into the project's development. Using the same field…
Operational and implementation research within Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria grants
BACKGROUND: Operational/implementation research (OR/IR) is a key activity to improve disease control programme performance. We assessed the extent to which malaria and tuberculosis (TB) grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ("Global Fund") include support for OR/IR, and discuss the implications of the current Global Fund operating mechanisms for OR/IR support. METHODS: The situation analysis focussed on malaria and T…
Monitoring of Selected Health Indicators in Children Living in a Copper Mine Development Area in Northwestern Zambia
The epidemiology of malaria, anaemia and malnutrition in children is potentially altered in mining development areas. In a copper extraction project in northwestern Zambia, a health impact assessment (HIA) was commissioned to predict, manage and monitor health impacts. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted: at baseline prior to project development (2011) and at four years into development (2015). Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum , anaemia…
Health impact assessment in Latin American countries
Complementary school garden, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to improve children’s nutrition and health status in Burkina Faso and Nepal
ISRCTN30840 (date assigned: 17 July 2015)
Changing Patterns of Health in Communities Impacted by a Bioenergy Project in Northern Sierra Leone
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 an…
Assessing health impacts in complex eco-epidemiological settings in the humid tropics
Assessing health impacts in complex eco-epidemiological settings in the humid tropics
Changing Patterns of Health in Communities Impacted by a Bioenergy Project in Northern Sierra Leone
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 an…
Complementary school garden, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions to improve children’s nutrition and health status in Burkina Faso and Nepal
ISRCTN30840 (date assigned: 17 July 2015)
Operational and implementation research within Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria grants
BACKGROUND: Operational/implementation research (OR/IR) is a key activity to improve disease control programme performance. We assessed the extent to which malaria and tuberculosis (TB) grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ("Global Fund") include support for OR/IR, and discuss the implications of the current Global Fund operating mechanisms for OR/IR support. METHODS: The situation analysis focussed on malaria and T…
Monitoring of Selected Health Indicators in Children Living in a Copper Mine Development Area in Northwestern Zambia
The epidemiology of malaria, anaemia and malnutrition in children is potentially altered in mining development areas. In a copper extraction project in northwestern Zambia, a health impact assessment (HIA) was commissioned to predict, manage and monitor health impacts. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted: at baseline prior to project development (2011) and at four years into development (2015). Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum , anaemia…
Health impact assessment in Latin American countries
Current Global Health Impact Assessment Practice
Health impact assessment (HIA) practice has expanded across the world, since it was established more than two decades ago. This paper presents a snapshot of current global HIA practice based on the findings of an online questionnaire survey. HIA practitioners from all world regions were invited to participate. A total of 122 HIA practitioners from 29 countries completed the survey, following a broad international outreach effort. The large variet…
Community Health Impacts of the Trident Copper Mine Project in Northwestern Zambia
The application of a health impact assessment (HIA) for a large-scale copper mining project in rural Zambia triggered the long-term monitoring and evaluation of determinants of health and health outcomes in communities living in proximity to the mine. Three consecutive cross-sectional surveys were conducted at intervals of four years; thus, at baseline (2011), four (2015) and eight (2019) years into the project's development. Using the same field…
Spatial mobility and large-scale resource extraction
We examine population mobility around a newly-developed large-scale copper mine in Zambia and analyse how socioeconomic and health indicators differed amongst migrants, resettled households, and non-mobile local (e.g. non-migrant/-resettled) populations. Two cross-sectional household surveys in 2015 and 2019 collected quantitative data on health, socioeconomic indicators, and resettlement and migration status. A wealth index for the pooled sample…
Changes in socioeconomic determinants of health in a copper mine development area, northwestern Zambia
In 2011, an industrial copper mine was developed in northwestern Zambia. A health impact assessment was conducted to anticipate and address potential health impacts. To monitor these impacts, three community-based surveys were conducted in the area (2011, 2015 and 2019). We analysed these data to determine how household socioeconomic indicators – considered determinants of health – have changed in the area over time. In mine-impacted communities,…
Walking the talk
Although Health Impact Assessment (HIA) has been gaining momentum over the past decade, it is still a relatively small field of practice. Here we explore whether possible opportunities to promote the field of HIA can be translated into concrete actions. We pursued an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. In a first step, HIA practitioners’ ideas were collected across 18 semi-structured interviews. Building on these insights, a survey que…
Exploring the Impact of Mining on Community Health and Health Service Delivery
Sub-Saharan Africa is rich in natural resources but also faces widespread poverty. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals brought increased attention to resource extraction projects, emphasizing their development potential in extraction regions. While mining companies are required to conduct environmental impact assessments, their effect on the project-affected communities' health mostly lacks systematic management, and their considera…
A social network analysis model approach to understand tuberculosis transmission in remote rural Madagascar
In remote Madagascar, SNA-informed models suggest that WHO-recommended interventions reduce TB disease (active TB) prevalence and mortality while TB infection (latent TB) burden remains high. Communities' resiliency to TB introduction decreases as their interconnectivity increases. "Top down" population level TB models would most likely miss this difference between small communities. SNA bridges large-scale population-based and hyper focused comm…
Incidence of cough from acute exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Madagascar
Prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) is a known risk to respiratory health, causing chronic lung impairment. Yet, the immediate, acute effects of PM 2.5 exposure on respiratory symptoms, such as cough, are less understood. This pilot study aims to investigate this relationship using objective PM 2.5 and cough monitors. Fifteen participants from rural Madagascar were followed for three days, equipped with an RTI Enhanced Childre…
Assessing the quality of care in primary health care facilities in all municipalities in Kosovo 2016–2023
Introduction: Access to quality primary healthcare (PHC) in Kosovo is progressive with substantial reforms that have been implemented to promote the health of its people since its independence in 2008. However, substantial challenges remain, particularly among managing non-communicable diseases (NCD) like diabetes and hypertension, due to gaps in structural and procedural aspects. The Accessible Quality Healthcare project (2016-2027) aimed at imp…
Potential benefits, opportunities, risks and challenges of population suppression gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control described in the scholarly literature
Gene drive mosquitoes represent a promising strategy to alter mosquito populations and reduce disease transmission. However, their use has generated considerable debate due to ecological, ethical, and societal concerns. This paper reviews risks, challenges, benefits, and opportunities of gene drive technology, focusing on environmental, social, economic, and health implications. A literature search of peer-reviewed articles published between Janu…
Medicine (15 works) · Environmental health (13 works) · Geography (10 works) · Public health (9 works) · Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (8 works) · Nursing (7 works) · Health impact assessment (6 works) · Mining and Resource Management (6 works) · Political science (6 works) · Population (6 works)