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Reliable estimates of subnational vaccination coverage are critical to track progress towards global immunisation targets and ensure equitable health outcomes for all children. However, conflict can limit the reliability of coverage estimates from traditional household-based surveys due to an inability to sample in unsafe and insecure areas and increased uncertainty in underlying population estimates. In these situations, model-based geostatistical (MBG) approaches offer alternative coverage estimates for administrative units affected by conflict. We estimated first- and third-dose diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine coverage in Borno state, Nigeria, using a spatiotemporal MBG modelling approach, then compared these to estimates from recent conflict-affected, household-based surveys. We compared sampling cluster locations from recent household-based surveys to geolocated data on conflict locations and modelled spatial coverage estimates, while also investigating the importance of reliable population estimates when assessing coverage in conflict settings. These results demonstrate that geospatially-modelled coverage estimates can be a valuable additional tool to understand coverage in locations where conflict prevents representative sampling., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Skin burns are a significant source of injury in both military and civilian sectors. They are especially problematic in low resource environments where non-fatal injuries can lead to high morbidity rates, prolonged hospitalization, and disability. These multifaceted wounds can be highly complex and must be quickly diagnosed and treated to achieve optimal outcomes. When the appropriate resources are available, the current gold standard for assessing skin burns is through tissue punch biopsies followed by histological analysis. Apart from being invasive, costly, and time-consuming, this method can suffer from heterogeneous sampling errors when interrogating large burn areas. Here we present a practical method for the early visualization of skin burn severity using a topically applied fluorescein-loaded liquid bandage and an unmodified commercial digital camera. Quantitative linear mixed effects models of color images from a four day porcine burn study demonstrate that colorimetric changes within the HSB colorspace can be used to estimate burn depth severity immediately after burning. The finding was verified using fluorescence imaging, tissue cross-sectioning, and histopathology. This low-cost, rapid, and non-invasive color analysis approach demonstrates the potential of dye-loaded liquid bandages as a method for skin burn assessment in settings such as emergency medicine triage and low resource environments.