The benefits of using a community-engaged research approach to promote a healthy lifestyle in three Nigerian urban slums

Abstract

Slums are a wide range of low-income settlements with poor living conditions. The quality of the dwellings varies from simple shacks to permanent structures, while access to water, electricity, sanitation and other basic services and infrastructure tends to be limited. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) exist in slums as the inhabitants adopt an urbanised lifestyle which places them at high risk. Lack of knowledge about the complications of NCDs and how to control them contributes to a large percentage of undetected and untreated cases. Therefore, our recently concluded study aimed to reduce the prevalence of NCDs by promoting a healthy lifestyle in three Nigerian urban slums using a community-engaged research approach. We decided to adopt this approach since community-engaged research takes place in real-world conditions, thus increasing the applicability of findings to practical applications that improve human health. Literature has shown that meaningful community involvement can improve the research proce...