Lao Community
Lao community is found in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in Asia. The Lao Democratic Republic is a landlocked country, sandwiched between Vietnam to the west, Thailand to the east, China and Burma to the North, and Cambodia to the south. The country has a geographical space of 236,800 sq. km. The capital city of the state is Capital-Vientiane. The climatic description of the country as a whole is as follows; May to November-Tropical Monsoon which is a rainy season and November to April is always dry. The population, according to a 2009 report was estimated as 6.8 million people. Lao has an annual growth rate of 2.3% and her population is unevenly distributed across the country whereby most people have inhabited Mekong River valley and its tributaries (Yves, 2005).
The economic status of Lao is in a dire situation with poor and inadequate infrastructures. The countries workforce is poorly equipped to drive the economic growth of the country at large. The country depends mostly on borrowing to finance its development projects as the people do not save much. Due to the poor economic status of the Lao community, the people are exposed to many health hazards such as Liver Fluke (Opisthorchis viverrini).
According to studies undertaken in 2005-06, it was established that 70% of the whole population have access to basic health care with 92% in urban centers and 65% in rural areas. In rural areas, the situation is more difficult as individuals walk long distances in search of better medical care. Nevertheless, the maternal mortality rate is high because most mothers are forced to deliver at home without neither pre nor post-natal care. It was also established that the birth rate of Laos is the highest in the southeast Countries of Asia, at 4.41in 2009 (Rehbein, 2007).
From the CIA World Factbook Demographic statistics of 2009, the population growth rate of this community stands at 2.316%, birth rate of 33.94births in every 1,000 persons, and the death rate was found to be 10.76 deaths in every 1,000 individuals. The age structure of the whole population of the Laos can be described as follows: 0-14 years; 40.8% (male 1,400,126/female 1,386,480), 15-64 years; 56.1% (1,898,995 males/1,936,892 females) and 65 years and above; 3.1% (male 92,070/ female 120,379). The infant mortality rate is high at 77.82 deaths in every 1,000 live births.
Life expectance in Lao Community at birth is given as follows: total population: 56.68 years with female life expectance being higher than that of men given as 58.9 years against 54.56 years. The sex ratio in the community is as follows: at birth: 1,05 males/females, under 15 years: 1.01 males/females, 15-64 years: 0.98 males/females, above 64 years: 0.76 males against females and the total population sex ratio is 0.98 males/females (Yves, 2005).
Given the above background of the Lao Community, liver fluke costs the country about $120 million annually. This disease affects poor communities living in the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, mostly due to the lack of proper policy on its treatment. Opisthorchiasis is widespread in regions where cyprinid fishes are the staple diet of the people. It is estimated that infection in the Lao community is as high as 70%.
There has been scanty information about the Opisthorchis viverrini. About this, an investigation was undertaken to establish the epidemiological features of the disease in highly endemic districts in PDR (Mekong River Basin). The clinical investigation, stool examination and short interviews from a random sample of the population indicated that the rate of infection increased with an increase in age. The degree of infection and the tradition of consuming raw or undercooked fish also increased with age (from 20.0 to 85.5%). Of all the individuals enrolled for the study from 13 villages in Mekong River Basin, 58.5% were found to have been infected. And 75.2% of the sampled population reported having taken undercooked fish. Among the 23 dissimilar species of cyprinid fish consumed, 20 species were infected. The village’s fish consumption level was high and therefore this consumption was associated with the infection status of liver fluke (Rehbein, 2007).
The population sample comprised of youths and adults. The disease was found to be more prevalent in adults compared to youths. The mortality rate of youths was 3 % while for adults it was found to be 6%. An individuals’ age, consumption of insufficiently cooked fish, and poor sanitation were heavily linked with infection of liver fluke.
Lao Community Genogram
The eating culture of the Lao community is predominantly dominated by the cyprinid fish diet. Fish is the easily available source of proteins in the Mekong river basin. Rice is also cultivated on a subsistence basis and it was also established that this farming sector is the backbone of PDR economy employing up to 80% of the population. The population of Laos is very high compared to the available resource thus maintaining a healthy and energetic community is difficult.
With regard, to this the economic status of the country as a whole is poor. The pressure from the population is high and hence the government relies on foreign aid and concessional loans for investment and daily operations of the community and nation at large. Access to health facilities in the community is alarming for the health facility’s infrastructure is poor thus making many individuals die from diseases like Malaria and Liver fluke which is deeply rooted in the Mekong River Basin. The death rate increases with increase in age. For instance, there is a high death rate among adults compared to other age groups of the community (Yves, 2005).
Community Health diagnosis
I will set up a group of individuals to coordinate and manage the health diagnosis project including the government health department, health professionals and non-governmental organizations. Secondly, I will identify the resources available to determine the range of the diagnosis. After defining the scope of the diagnosis, I will develop a working schedule for accomplishing the community diagnosis project, report writing, and eventual dissemination. My data collection will be both quantitative and qualitative including population statistical information i.e. population size, age and sex structures, medical services, social services, public health, and education.
My diagnosis will include the health status of the community, potential for healthy community development and other health determinants of the community. On production of the community’s health diagnosis report, I will communicate the findings to relevant authorities to ensure that targeted actions are taken.
References
Rehbein, B. (2007). Globalization, culture, and Society in Laos. New York: Oxford University Press.
Yves, B. (2005). Laos Economic Statistics and Indicators, Economy Watch (23). 56-9.