학술논문
Multi-country collaborative citizen science projects to co-design cardiovascular disease prevention strategies and advocacy: findings from Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, and South Africa.
Document Type
Academic Journal
Author
Okop KJ; Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa, Cape Town. kufre.okop@uct.ac.za.; Citizen Science Research Foundation (CSRF), Cape Town, South Africa. kufre.okop@uct.ac.za.; Kedir K; Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa, CA, Ethiopia.; Kasenda S; Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.; Niyibizi JB; Directorate of Research and Innovation, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.; Chipeta E; Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.; Centre for Reproductive Health, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi.; Getachew H; Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa, CA, Ethiopia.; Sell K; Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research, IBE, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Germany.; Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany.; Lambert EV; UCT Research Centre for Health Through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport, Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Puoane T; School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.; Rulisa S; School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.; Bunn C; Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.; College of Social Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.; King AC; Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA, CA.; Department of Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA, CA.; Bavuma C; School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.; Howe R; Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Addis Ababa, CA, Ethiopia.; Crampin AC; Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit, Lilongwe, Malawi, Lilongwe, Malawi.; Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.; Levitt NS; Chronic Disease Initiative for Africa, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa, Cape Town.
Source
Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 100968562 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1471-2458 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 14712458 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Public Health Subsets: MEDLINE
Subject
Language
English
Abstract
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) were responsible for 20.5 million annual deaths globally in 2021, with a disproportionally high burden in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There is growing evidence of the use of citizen science and co-design approaches in developing interventions in different fields, but less so in the context of CVD prevention interventions in SSA. This paper reports on the collaborative multi-country project that employed citizen science and a co-design approach to (i) explore CVD risk perceptions, (ii) develop tailored prevention strategies, and (iii) support advocacy in different low-income settings in SSA.
Methods: This is a participatory citizen science study with a co-design component. Data was collected from 205 participants aged 18 to 75 years in rural and urban communities in Malawi, Ethiopia and Rwanda, and urban South Africa. Fifty-one trained citizen scientists used a mobile app-based (EpiCollect) semi-structured survey questionnaire to collect data on CVD risk perceptions from participants purposively selected from two communities per country. Data collected per community included 100-150 photographs and 150-240 voice recordings on CVD risk perceptions, communication and health-seeking intentions. Thematic and comparative analysis were undertaken with the citizen scientists and the results were used to support citizen scientists-led stakeholder advocacy workshops. Findings are presented using bubble graphs based on weighted proportions of key risk factors indicated.
Results: Nearly three in every five of the participants interviewed reported having a relative with CVD. The main perceived causes of CVD in all communities were substance use, food-related factors, and litter, followed by physical inactivity, emotional factors, poverty, crime, and violence. The perceived positive factors for cardiovascular health were nutrition, physical activity, green space, and clean/peaceful communities. Multi-level stakeholders (45-84 persons/country) including key decision makers participated in advocacy workshops and supported the identification and prioritization of community-specific CVD prevention strategies and implementation actions. Citizen science-informed CVD risk screening and referral to care interventions were piloted in six communities in three countries with about 4795 adults screened and those at risk referred for care. Health sector stakeholders indicated their support for utilising a citizen-engaged approach in national NCDs prevention programmes. The citizen scientists were excited by the opportunity to lead research and advocacy.
Conclusion: The collaborative engagement, participatory learning, and co-designing activities enhanced active engagement between citizen scientists, researchers, and stakeholders. This, in turn, provided context-specific insights on CVD prevention in the different SSA settings.
(© 2023. The Author(s).)
Methods: This is a participatory citizen science study with a co-design component. Data was collected from 205 participants aged 18 to 75 years in rural and urban communities in Malawi, Ethiopia and Rwanda, and urban South Africa. Fifty-one trained citizen scientists used a mobile app-based (EpiCollect) semi-structured survey questionnaire to collect data on CVD risk perceptions from participants purposively selected from two communities per country. Data collected per community included 100-150 photographs and 150-240 voice recordings on CVD risk perceptions, communication and health-seeking intentions. Thematic and comparative analysis were undertaken with the citizen scientists and the results were used to support citizen scientists-led stakeholder advocacy workshops. Findings are presented using bubble graphs based on weighted proportions of key risk factors indicated.
Results: Nearly three in every five of the participants interviewed reported having a relative with CVD. The main perceived causes of CVD in all communities were substance use, food-related factors, and litter, followed by physical inactivity, emotional factors, poverty, crime, and violence. The perceived positive factors for cardiovascular health were nutrition, physical activity, green space, and clean/peaceful communities. Multi-level stakeholders (45-84 persons/country) including key decision makers participated in advocacy workshops and supported the identification and prioritization of community-specific CVD prevention strategies and implementation actions. Citizen science-informed CVD risk screening and referral to care interventions were piloted in six communities in three countries with about 4795 adults screened and those at risk referred for care. Health sector stakeholders indicated their support for utilising a citizen-engaged approach in national NCDs prevention programmes. The citizen scientists were excited by the opportunity to lead research and advocacy.
Conclusion: The collaborative engagement, participatory learning, and co-designing activities enhanced active engagement between citizen scientists, researchers, and stakeholders. This, in turn, provided context-specific insights on CVD prevention in the different SSA settings.
(© 2023. The Author(s).)