Community Meetings Research Articles

Empowering communities through citizen science and participatory action research: implementation of a schistosomiasis communication campaign in Uganda

Schistosomiasis is a water-related disease strongly linked with high-risk water and sanitation practices perpetuating disease transmission. In Uganda, despite health education and sensitisation efforts through communication campaigns by the Ministry of Health to reduce schistosomiasis prevalence, common risky practices still pose a challenge, especially among endemic communities. Here, we steered away from the conventional top-down approach to communication campaigns and explored alternative methods. We employed citizen science (CS) and other participatory action research (PAR) techniques as a bottom-up approach to co-design and implement a communication campaign among communities of western Uganda, to achieve a more tangible outcome of behaviour change for preventing schistosomiasis. We collected qualitative data using data party, world café, prioritisation and ranking, focus group discussion, and key informant interviews from 378 purposively selected individuals and analysed it using a thematic analysis model. Community volunteers, community radios and local leaders were the most preferred channels for passing schistosomiasis information identified by participants. Lack of access to safe water and healthcare services, open defecation, and inadequate knowledge of schistosomiasis are some of the most pressing problems prioritised. Door-to-door visits by citizen scientists (CSs), community meetings, drama, and tournaments were the channels proposed by CSs and community groups during the co-design workshops. Over 1000 households and about 9000 community members were directly reached using the channels. Endemic communities prefer receiving schistosomiasis information using local channels instead of conventional ones. Combining citizen science with other PAR approaches empowers communities to interpret research findings in their contexts and take charge of the interventions. As such, clear and simple message coverage and a high audience turn-up can be achieved. A follow-up study is needed to evaluate the process and impact of the communication intervention on the citizen scientists and the community’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding preventive measures.

PENCEGAHAN STUNTING MELALUI EDUKASI JAM’IYAH AISYIYAH KUDUS

AbstractStunting is still a major problem in developing countries, including Indonesia. Stunting will have an impact on brain development and children's thinking skills and trigger various serious diseases. Education is one of the efforts that can be done in reducing the incidence of stunting. Education can play a role in increasing understanding and application of stunting prevention. The education conducted on 35 people of Jam'iyah Aisyiyah Kudus used lecture and discussion techniques as well as evaluation instruments consisting of 10 questionnaires on stunting conducted before and after education. The evaluation results after education showed 42.8% of the majority of of knowledge was high. These results show the importance of education about stunting needs to be encouraged at community meetings. Keywords: education, application, stunting reduction, knowledge

Health Education Method on Leprosy Prevention: Integrative Review.

Leprosy is still found mainly in lower-middle-income countries. Breaking the chain of leprosy transmission requires various ways, especially by increasing knowledge of leprosy prevention through health education. Although several studies have mentioned the effectiveness of health education, there is still uncertainty about the best method to use. Therefore, the review question should be answered: what forms of health education have been developed about Leprosy in the community? This review study complies with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) version 2020. The search for relevant literature involved PubMed, ScienceDirect, ERIC, Cochrane, and ProQuest databases for the studies published in the 2000 to 2023 period with the inclusion criteria such as increasing knowledge, changing attitudes and behavior, and increasing positive stigma. The quality of the study was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program, and the Risk of Bias using the Cochrane RoB tool. Overall search on databases resulted in a total of 184,681 articles. Only six studies were eligible to be included in this review. Various educational methods were used in the eligible studies, including MH Mobile, the myth or truth on Leprosy game, posters, leaflets, community meetings, tele-education theweb, discussion lists, chats, activity diaries, iconographic 3D videos, classes on video streaming, video conference, case simulation, lecture, and the contact intervention (education, testimonies (direct contact), videos, and comics). All of the methods used had the potential to improve knowledge, attitude, and practice and reduce negative stigma regarding Leprosy. There is no method of health education superior to another on Leprosy prevention.

Couples motivational interviewing with mobile breathalysers to reduce alcohol use in South Africa: a pilot randomised controlled trial of Masibambisane

IntroductionHeavy alcohol use among people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa can hinder the success of HIV treatment programmes, impacting progress towards United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS goals. Primary partners...

Alternative community-led intervention to improve uptake of cataract surgery services in rural Tanzania-The Dodoma Community Cataract Acceptance Trial (DoCCAT): a protocol for intervention co-designing and implementation in a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Age-related lens opacification (cataract) remains the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide. In low- and middle-income countries, utilization of cataract surgical services is often limited despite community-based outreach programmes. Community-led research, whereby researchers and community members collaboratively co-design intervention is an approach that ensures the interventions are locally relevant and that their implementation is feasible and socially accepted in the targeted contexts. Community-led interventions have the potential to increase cataract surgery uptake if done appropriately. In this study, once the intervention is co-designed it will be implemented through a cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) with ward as a unit of randomization. This study will utilise both the qualitative methods for co-designing the intervention and the quantitative methods for effective assessment of the developed community-led intervention through a cRCT in 80 rural wards of Dodoma region, Tanzania (40 Intervention). The 'intervention package' will be developed through participatory community meetings and ongoing evaluation and modification of the intervention based on its impact on service utilization. Leask's four stages of intervention co-creation will guide the development within Rifkin's CHOICE framework. The primary outcomes are two: the number of patients attending eye disease screening camps, and the number of patients accepting cataract surgery. NVivo version 12 will be used for qualitative data analysis and Stata version 12 for quantitative data. Independent and paired t-tests will be performed to make comparisons between and within groups. P-values less than 0.05 will be considered statistically significant.

Evaluating Company Efficiency in Malaysian Stock Markets: Insights from DEA and<!-- ============== --> <journal_article publication_type='full_text'> <titles> <title>Assessment of the Grievances Redress Mechanisms of Multisectoral Crisis Recovery Project in Northeast Nigeria Case Study of Adamawa State, Nigeria

The Adamawa State Multisectoral Crisis Recovery Project (AS-MCRP) is an initiative aimed at addressing the complex challenges caused by Boko Haram insurgency in Adamawa State. A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the project’s grievance redress mechanisms, focusing on three research objectives. A sample of 100 respondents from Mubi, Michika, and Madagali local governments was selected using cluster sampling. Data were collected through key informant interviews and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, and content analysis. The study found that while the grievance redress mechanisms of AS-MCRP are accessible, awareness among the public is low. However, these mechanisms are highly effective in resolving grievances, contributing significantly to rebuilding trust, fostering social cohesion, and promoting community resilience. The study recommends that AS-MCRP should launch a comprehensive awareness campaign, including community meetings, pamphlets, posters, and digital channels, to inform all beneficiaries about the grievance mechanisms. It also suggests ongoing training and capacity building for grievance officers and maintaining continuous dialogue with affected communities to address evolving grievances and needs.

The Role of the Village Head as Development Administrator

A village is a legal community unit that has territorial boundaries that has the authority to regulate and manage government affairs, the interests of local communities based on community initiatives, origin rights, and/or traditional rights that are recognized and respected in the government system of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Villages are government agents in national development. The development program carried out by the village government cannot be separated from the role of a village head. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the role of village heads as development administrators. The research method used is qualitative with a case study approach. Data collection techniques such as observation, interviews, and documentation. Meanwhile, the data analysis technique uses data triangulation, namely data reduction, data presentation, and concluding. The research results show that the role of the village head as a development administrator in Patalassang Village, Sinjai Regency, is as a motivator, facilitator, and mobilizer, where these roles are carried out by encouraging community participation and stimulating the spirit of mutual cooperation. Then, the Village Head visits residents in their homes and talks with them, holds community meetings to listen to their aspirations, and involves them in development by asking for their suggestions and input. The Village Head also often invites community representatives to attend village meetings and provide their input and opinion

Pembuatan Teknologi Tepat Guna Alat Pembakaran Sampah Untuk Mencegah Pencemaran di Kelurahan Untia

Waste is one form of problem that everyone often encounters in their environment. Waste is the waste of products or goods that have been used by their users, so that the remaining results are discarded and do not function again. The purpose of this service is to provide material on making appropriate technology for waste incineration tools to prevent pollution in the untia village. The method of application in this activity is the counseling method through demonstration and also the lecture and discussion method at community meetings in untia village. The results of community service activities regarding the manufacture of appropriate technology for waste incineration tools to prevent pollution in untia village have been carried out well and received a positive response from the untia village community.

(Too) high hopes? How Austrian energy community actors construct their roles in the energy transition

Energy communities (ECs), as forms of social innovation, have the potential to contribute to sustainability transitions in the energy system. Hence, policymakers place great hopes in ECs as drivers of the energy transition and impose 'transformative goals' on EC actors. However, earlier work revealed differentiated motives (e.g., personal gain, hedonism, economic reasons) on the part of these actors, with system transformation not always being the most important goal. Hence, this empirical study aims to provide a more nuanced picture of how individual actors, namely, founders, intermediaries, and influential early members of ECs, set about understanding and constructing their roles in the energy transition. Using the concept of actor roles in transitions and taking a discourse–theoretical approach, we study the case of Austria, where recent legislative changes enabled the formation of renewable ECs. Drawing on extensive desk research, 15 in-depth interviews, and participant observations in four community meetings, we identify four ideal–typical role constructions of EC actors: grassroots, entrepreneurial, local hero, and techno-centric. In fact, these roles vary significantly in their transformative potential, with the grassroots role emphasizing empowerment for a profound social and ecological transition, the techno-centric focusing on technological advancement, while the entrepreneurial role prioritizes economic aspects, and the local hero role centers on a limited, small-scale approach. Our findings challenge the widespread assumption of EC actors taking a 'transformative' role and reveal novel insights into the different roles’ main concerns that need to be considered in the implementation of energy policies.

Inovasi Sosial di Yogyakarta: Pengabdian Masyarakat dalam Membangun Harmoni Keagamaan

The aim of carrying out this service is to carry out social innovation in Yogyakarta in community service in building religious harmony. The community service initiative in Yogyakarta uses the ABCD approach to strengthen religious harmony by identifying and exploiting local potential, involving the community in training, cross-institutional collaboration, and implementing small programs. Through active participation and dissemination of results to stakeholders, this initiative aims to build mutual understanding and interfaith cooperation amidst the diversity of Yogyakarta society. The results of community service in Yogyakarta by identifying local potential, such as stories, religious figures, places of worship, festivals and traditions, as resources for building religious harmony. Next steps involve establishing working groups, training, and inter-agency collaboration to implement small programs with active community participation, evaluated periodically. Community participation in small group discussions is key in understanding religious needs and expectations, embracing diversity of views, and creating local solutions. Training and the formation of working groups succeeded in strengthening individual skills and the collective capacity of society, creating positive changes in both the short and long term. Dissemination of results through social media and community meetings ensures that inspiration and learning from this social innovation can reach communities in various regions.

PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DALAM PENGELOLAAN SAMPAH DI DESA WISATA SERANGAN

Serangan tourist village as a tourism area is faced with the problem of increasing the amount of waste piles due to an increase in population and increased human activity. Waste production is increasing every day in line with the increase in population and consumption patterns. The thing that must be done to overcome the increasing volume of waste is by reducing the volume of waste at the source through empowering community participation. The problem in community participation regarding waste management is what forms of regulation are related to waste management in the Serangan Tourism Village Environment. The introduction of waste management to the community aims to introduce waste management methods in preserving and keeping the environment clean in Serangan Tourism Village. Based on the research results, one form of community participation in efforts to improve the environment is by donating labor in the form of community service and participating in waste management. Apart from that, they also held community meetings which were attended by some residents for the kelurahan level. The community carried out these activities without feeling forced at all. The level of community participation that occurred in the Serangan Village Environment according to the medium category, the community participates in waste management but the implementation is still not optimal. The important role of the community and all parties is expected for the realization of success in providing learning about community participation in waste management to maintain cleanliness in the tourist village environment.

Usage and coordination of governance principles to address proximate and distal drivers of conflicts in fisheries commons.

Commons' problems and solutions have the elements of local, proximate, and large-scale distal processes. Solutions, therefore, require accessing, implementing, and coordinating information and actions at multiple scales. Restoring commons, such as fisheries, will require a better understanding of how stakeholders access and use information at various scales to resolve governance and restrictions problems. In 179 household interviews, perceptions of fisheries conflicts and their causes were identified, and 16 management committee key informants described their methods for mediating hypothetical small-scale fisheries problems in Kenya. The 6 studied sites varied in human development and demographic contexts but had notable similarities that reflected a respondent's focus on localized, direct, and proximate fishing conflicts. The most cited problems included limited space, disagreement about gears, poor resource conditions, and locally inadequate benefits. The most cited sources of information were local households and the community, and there was considerably less acknowledgment of distal problems and solutions. Key informants selected a limited number of local community-focused solutions. For example, informants chose to mediate conflicts between neighbors with local community meetings rather than through formal national institutions. Therefore, distal solutions were likely to be perceived as ineffectual, possibly due to the challenges of polycentric governance coordination. However, widespread overfishing arises from overarching distal processes not fully amenable to local solutions. Therefore, a focus on local action is expected to limit the ability to address distal problems. These include conflicting values, demographic changes, supportive governance frameworks, emerging technologies, resolving conflicting local rules, fair between-group enforcement, responding to temporary shortages of fish, and intercommunity border and rule disputes. Improved coordination and integration of information and institutions to simultaneously address both proximate and distal common's problems are recommended.

Analysis of Factors Leveraging Sustainability of Community-Based Drinking Water Supply (Case Study of Drinking Water Supply for The Pamsimas Program, Kapongan Sub-District, Situbondo Regency)

This research aims to identify the sustainability driving factors of drinking water provision in the PAMSIMAS program in Kapongan Sub-District, Situbondo Regency, focusing on community participation based on environmental, social, economic, technological, and institutional dimensions. This study utilizes a quantitative approach with the Rap-SPAM analysis method, a modification of Rapfish. The data used consist of both primary and secondary sources. Primary data are obtained through surveys, observations, and interviews with respondents, utilizing questionnaires. Secondary data is gathered through relevant literature reviews and various related institutions. The results of the Rap-SPAM simulation on 5 dimensions of sustainability, obtained 18 sensitive attributes or main leveraging factors. The main leverage attributes in the environmental dimension are the surrounding land condition, pollution potential, rainfall & rainy days, and quantity of raw water. In the social dimension, the main leverage attributes are community meetings, practices of using the water supply system, and community trust. In the economic dimension, the main leverage attributes are existence of fees for the development of the water supply system network, availability of funds for the development of the water supply system, existence of user fees, and affordability of user fees. In the technological dimension, the main leverage attributes are water efficiency of water use, ease of technology application, network leakages, and quality of received water. In the institutional dimension, the main leverage attributes are clear organizational structure, performance and financial reporting by the management to the users of the water supply system, and regulations for water supply management.

Abstract A054: Leveraging the power of Hope Leaders for enhancing diversity in clinical trials via a bi-directional cancer health information model

Abstract Introduction: Despite increasing recognition of the need for diversity in clinical trials, participation from racial and ethnic minorities, particularly from low socioeconomic communities, remains dismally low. This underrepresentation hinders the generalizability of trial results and perpetuates health disparities. Low socioeconomic environments, characterized by economic instability, restricted healthcare access, food scarcity, and deficient educational resources, exacerbate these challenges. Residents of such communities often lean on "Hope Leaders" - trusted community figures - as a strategy to navigate through these adversities. Recognizing the pivotal role of these Hope Leaders, we advocate for a community-centered bi-directional cancer health information flow model, which positions these Leaders at the core of community engagement endeavors. This model fosters a bi-directional health information exchange that synergizes Hope Leaders with the scientific community, thereby promoting improved health equity within clinical intervention research. The implementation of this model commences with a pre-engagement phase, a respectful approach where we familiarize ourselves with the community and its dynamics, without imposing any specific demands or expectations. Approach: The University of Illinois Cancer Center has had 6 community engagement specialists that have engaged with community members through numerous pre-engagement events that encompass activities ranging from mental health, cancer prevention, survivorship events, education, health fairs and community meetings. Based on these insights, we established a dedicated working group to identify hope leaders and to create targeted engagement strategies for specific areas of our catchment region through the bi-directional cancer health information flow model. These strategies are tailored to address the unique challenges and barriers these communities face regarding enrollment in cancer clinical trials. Additionally, the community-driven health communication model was implemented to identify Hope Leaders and engage them with cancer researchers as a part of our phase I activities for this model. Conclusion: This innovative approach aims to leverage the unique position of Hope Leaders in underserved communities to amplify community voices, improve engagement, and ultimately, increase minority representation in cancer clinical trials. The model provides a promising strategy to address the persistent disparity in clinical trial participation, facilitating more equitable and inclusive research outcomes. Citation Format: Joseph Dufraine, Yamile Molina, Jeanette Gonzalez, Maria Olivero, Theresa Mobley, Saria Lofton, Dedra Reis. Leveraging the power of Hope Leaders for enhancing diversity in clinical trials via a bi-directional cancer health information model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr A054.

Partisipasi Masyarakat di Kelurahan Pahandut Seberang Kota Palangka Raya dalam Pelatihan Program Green Kampung

This service activity facilitates the assistance of Pahandut Seberang Village residents in realising a green village by utilising open land and yards for land media for vegetable and fruit plants. Open land and yards are used as a medium that can be planted with vegetable and fruit daily needs. The service aims to stimulate riverbank communities to utilise open land areas and yards to grow vegetables and fruit as an implementation of green villages in Pahandut Seberang Village. The Green kampung programme is planned to be located at the Daruth Tayyibah Mosque in the riverbank residential area of Pahandut Seberang Village, Pahandut District, Palangka Raya City. The method uses a qualitative method based on the process of interviewing the needs of residents, community meetings in selecting plants, planting vegetables and fruit, plant maintenance, and harvesting by the women of the Pahandut Seberang Village Recitation. The University of Palangka Raya Service Team provided assistance to the women's group in learning in the form of training from the stages of designing land, selecting plants, planting, caring for and harvesting vegetable and fruit plants. The results of this service are the implementation of green village training activities in the form of socialisation, seedling sowing, transplanting into recycled pots, and monitoring the maintenance of vegetable and fruit plants. Training activities for recitation mothers provide long-term opportunities as entrepreneurs of the riverbank community. The results of this training serve as a trigger for communities from other villages to implement the green kampung programme in the villages of Palangka Raya City.

Women’s Resistance: An Alternative Perspective to Women’s Participation in Community-Driven Development

Community-driven development (CDD) programs compel communities to adopt egalitarian decision-making processes for the duration of the project. However, dominant groups use their power to orchestrate a public performance of social domination and subordinated groups combat social domination via subtle acts of resistance. Rather than conceptualizing social transformation from a holistic perspective that includes subtle acts of resistance and incremental forms of self-empowerment, CDD implementation and monitoring focusses on women’s public performance in community meetings, and this approach generally fails to produce social transformation. We conducted an ethnography of an unconditional direct transfer to a village in Western Mali. We used Bourdieu’s approach to investigate how rural Malian women resist domination and empower themselves in this unfettered CDD project. We observed the women strategically submit to patriarchal forms of domination during the public decision-making processes but resist male domination over their labour. Our results suggest that CDD can better achieve enduring forms of social change when it builds off local women’s self-directed forms of resistance. To better capture women’s resistance and self-empowerment, CDD should adopt a more holistic and open impact assessment approach, such as the Most Significant Change technique and Culturally Responsive Evaluation.

Abu Dhabi’s Journey Towards Excellence in Continuing Medical Education

ABSTRACT Continuing medical education is essential to maintain and develop the skills of the healthcare workforce. Engagement with CME is required for maintaining practitioner licence in the United Arab Emirates. The CME environment in Abu Dhabi has been growing quickly, with rising numbers of activities and learner participation. Though Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health(DOH) has a history of regulating CME for its health professionals, it has typically relied on activity audits that have been inefficient and laborious. Consequently, the DOH evaluated and subsequently adopted international standards for provider accreditation and implemented a new model. That system incorporates eligibility standards, a digital system of registration, standards for ensuring learners are protected from advertising and promotion, expectations for educational outcomes, attendance verification, and program evaluation. DOH introduces an accreditation statement, set standards for activity documentation, data protection, and published a limited range of international systems whose credits could be recognized by DOH. Embedded in the new accreditation system is a restructured internal workforce, trained and supported to ensure accurate, consistent, and transparent accreditation decisions. DOH has supported implementation through a revised website, community meetings, provider training, and provider support services. DOH anticipates continuing evolution to support a culture of learning and competency management of the healthcare professionals in its workforce through CME, and in doing so support the delivery of high-quality healthcare to its citizens.

Refugee Networks, Cooperation, and Resource Access

Without formal avenues for claims-making or political participation, refugees must find their own means of securing services from state and non-state providers. This article asks why some refugee communities are more effective than others in mitigating community problems. I present a framework for understanding how refugees’ social networks shape the constraints and capabilities for collective action. I analyze a field experiment where I organized community meetings with Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan, randomly assigning the recruitment method for meetings to introduce exogenous variation in network structure. During meetings, participants were tasked with resolving collective action problems. I examine the dynamics of subsequent group discussion. Results show that although densely networked refugee groups exhibit more cooperation, they suffer from a resource diversity disadvantage. Group diversity facilitates access to resources that may help refugee communities confront community problems. The novel experimental design allows for separately identifying group-level and individual-level mechanisms.

Optimising scale-up for public health impact: a multimethod implementation science research protocol to improve infant health outcomes in Ethiopia

IntroductionChild mortality rates remain high in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. We are conducting a cluster randomised control trial in the Gondar zone of the Amhara region to determine the impact...

A Case Study of a Secondary Biology Teacher’s Pedagogical Reasoning and Action with Augmented Reality Technology

While recognizing the vital role of teachers in augmented reality (AR) integration, a noticeable literature gap exists regarding how science educators address challenges related to technology, pedagogy, and content during AR instructional design and implementation. Conducted in a secondary school in Taiwan, this study addressed this gap by conducting a qualitative single-case analysis of a science teacher’s integration of AR technology into her biology lessons. The teacher’s pedagogical reasoning and action processes were observed and analyzed over 10 weeks, with a focus on micro-level exploration across two iterations of pedagogical analysis, design, implementation, reflection, and revision. The primary data collection includes teacher interviews, supplemented by teacher reflective notes, lesson plans, teaching materials, researcher observations and field notes taken during the weekly, one-hour teacher learning community meetings, and the AR-integrated lessons, student assessment results, and feedback. The study was informed by both the Technology Integration Planning model and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework. Data analysis techniques involved deductive coding and thematic analysis. The findings reveal the teacher’s developmental proficiency in AR, a reimagined depiction of AR-enhanced instructional content, a shift from didactic-based to inquiry-based teaching approaches, and an intertwined development of technological pedagogical knowledge, technological content knowledge, and pedagogical content knowledge. This study provides valuable insights into how the educator became a pedagogical designer, overcame individual and contextual challenges, and leveraged reflective strategies to enhance biology lessons using AR technology, emphasizing technology’s potential to enrich pedagogy in science education.