Background:
Noma is a neglected tropical disease that predominantly afects young children in sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by rapid orofacial tissue destruction and high mortality. While malnutrition and infections are well-recognized risk factors, less attention has been given to family-level and psychosocial determinants.
Objectives:
To synthesize existing evidence on the role of family pathology in Noma and identify household-level risk factors afecting disease development and outcomes.
Methods:
A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed and MEDLINE were searched through May 2024 for Noma-specifc literature and broader child health studies related to family environment. Data extraction focused on predefned family pathology themes. Narrative synthesis was performed due to the heterogeneity of study designs.
Results:
Thirty-fve studies met the eligibility criteria, including Noma-specifc case series, epidemiological reports, and child health literature. Eleven family pathology themes were identifed: child developmental stage, family structure, living area, family income, family size, parental education, parental viability, marital confict, family separation, primary caregiver, and caregiving quality. Poverty, large family size, limited caregiving quality, and psychosocial instability were interconnected, increasing the vulnerability to Noma.
Conclusion:
Family dysfunction and socioeconomic deprivation contribute signifcantly to Noma risk. Prevention strategies should integrate family-level interventions, including caregiver education, birth spacing, economic support, and community health outreach. Addressing both biomedical and familial determinants is essential for reducing disease burden.
BT - ACS Omega DA - 05/2026 DO - 10.1021/acsomega.6c01730 IS - 23 LA - ENG M3 - Article N2 -Background:
Noma is a neglected tropical disease that predominantly afects young children in sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by rapid orofacial tissue destruction and high mortality. While malnutrition and infections are well-recognized risk factors, less attention has been given to family-level and psychosocial determinants.
Objectives:
To synthesize existing evidence on the role of family pathology in Noma and identify household-level risk factors afecting disease development and outcomes.
Methods:
A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed and MEDLINE were searched through May 2024 for Noma-specifc literature and broader child health studies related to family environment. Data extraction focused on predefned family pathology themes. Narrative synthesis was performed due to the heterogeneity of study designs.
Results:
Thirty-fve studies met the eligibility criteria, including Noma-specifc case series, epidemiological reports, and child health literature. Eleven family pathology themes were identifed: child developmental stage, family structure, living area, family income, family size, parental education, parental viability, marital confict, family separation, primary caregiver, and caregiving quality. Poverty, large family size, limited caregiving quality, and psychosocial instability were interconnected, increasing the vulnerability to Noma.
Conclusion:
Family dysfunction and socioeconomic deprivation contribute signifcantly to Noma risk. Prevention strategies should integrate family-level interventions, including caregiver education, birth spacing, economic support, and community health outreach. Addressing both biomedical and familial determinants is essential for reducing disease burden.
PB - American Chemical Society (ACS) PY - 2026 SP - 34318 EP - 34326 T2 - ACS Omega TI - A Rapid, Antigen-Independent Diagnostic Strategy for Chronic Chagas Disease Based on Serum ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy and Machine Learning UR - https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsomega.6c01730?ref=article_openPDF VL - 11 SN - 2470-1343, 2470-1343 ER -