CHIP toolkit: Social mapping and transect walk for childhood infection and pollution - A comparative study across four cities (Jaipur, Jakarta, Antofagasta, and Istanbul).

Background: The Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030 underscores the value of sustainable cities, clean water, sanitation, and well-being. In-spite of several improvements, the under-five mortality rates remain quite high, especially in inadequately serviced peri-urban settlements, wherein the environmental conditions, poor sanitation, and limited healthcare exacerbate child health issues. Burdened by rapid urban migration and poor infrastructure, these settlements are prone to the spread of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and vector-borne diseases.

Methods: The Childhood Infection and Pollution (CHIP) consortium employed the Social Mapping and Transect Walk methodologies to assess the One Health factors influencing childhood infections in four cities: Jaipur (India), Jakarta (Indonesia), Antofagasta (Chile), and Istanbul (Turkey). The social mapping was to gain insights into the community structures and resources, while transect walks helped identify environmental and social pathways for infections.

Results: In-person interviews with slum households and key informants for providing essential context for intensive follow-on research and the opportunity to improve upon pre-existing research protocols prefaced based on the social mapping and transect interviews. The study found significant environmental and health disparities; Jaipur and Jakarta faced high rates of vector-borne diseases due to poor sanitation and flooding, respectively. Antofagasta experienced high respiratory disease rates linked to industrial pollution, while Istanbul struggled with gastrointestinal and respiratory infections due to waste management issues and industrial pollutants. The health challenges were compounded by faith in traditional medicine and lack of and/or irregular access to healthcare access.

Conclusion: The social mapping and transect walks could highlight specific environmental and social conditions in the selected cities. The One Health approach, that integrates human, environmental, and animal health, is essential in developing effective and sustainable solutions. Healthcare outcomes among children in vulnerable settings may be improved through addressing local environmental issues and improving community engagement.

Disclaimer: The term 'slums' is used as defined by the UN to describe areas lacking essential amenities, although we refer to them as "inadequately serviced peri-urban settlements" in our studies.