The Influence of Migration to Regions with Different Coverages of Health Education on Schistosomiasis

Abstract

Background: Health education plays a vital role in the prevention and control of schistosomiasis in China and throughout the world. However, the coverage of health education varies from place to place for various reasons. Moreover, people with different levels of health education migrate between different regions. Methods: In order to analyze the effects of different coverages of health education on schistosomiasis transmission, a schistosomiasis mathematical model with people’s inter-regional migration is constructed in two regions with different coverages of health education. The basic reproduction number is calculated, the global stability of the system is analyzed qualitatively, and a numerical simulation is carried out. Results: (1) The transmission trend of schistosomiasis could be reduced by increasing the migration of the susceptible population from the region with a high coverage of health education to the region with low coverage, or by increasing the migration of the infected population between the two regions. Schistosomiasis can even be eliminated if the migration of the susceptible or infected population from the region with a high coverage of health education to the region with a low coverage is sufficiently large. This is quite different from the prevention and control of other epidemics in which the movement of people should be restricted. (2) A low coverage of health education will have an impact on the number of patients and infected snails in both of the two regions. This result indicates that increasing the coverage of health education can reduce the risk of schistosomiasis not only in the local population but also in the surrounding regions to which people migrate. Conclusions: There is no need to restrict the migration of the infected population between the two regions nor the migration of the susceptible population from the region with a high coverage of health education to the region with a low coverage. However, there is a need to restrict the migration of the susceptible population from the region with a low coverage of health education to the region with a high coverage. These are some suggestions to prevent and control schistosomiasis.