Effective Community Engagement Research Articles

Hospital management and challenges during COVID-19 outbreaks: lessons from a level 1 hospital in the southeast of Iran-case study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has presented unparalleled challenges to hospitals globally, particularly those in resource-limited settings. This case study elucidates the experiences and lessons from managing a 40-bed public hospital in Rask, Iran, during the pandemic.MethodsData were gathered through focus group discussions with the management team and key informants, supplemented by document analysis. Thematic analysis was employed to discern key themes and subthemes related to the challenges encountered and solutions implemented by the hospital.ResultsThe study underscores the necessity of a dynamic management team, effective external stakeholder communication, staff involvement in decision-making, and establishing connections with pre-hospital care units. It also emphasizes the need for adaptable protocols, comprehensive staff training, and infrastructure enhancements. Despite these strategies, the hospital grappled with unresolved issues such as inadequate disaster planning, ethical dilemmas, and poor inter-hospital coordination.ConclusionThis case study offers insights into managing a small hospital in a resource-limited setting during a health crisis, highlighting the importance of effective leadership, staff support, infrastructural flexibility, and community engagement. The lessons gleaned can guide the development of context-specific strategies to bolster the resilience and preparedness of similar hospitals. Further research is warranted to assess the long-term impacts of the pandemic on these hospitals and to explore the perspectives of frontline staff, patients, and families for a more comprehensive understanding of effective hospital management during health disasters.

Operationalizing Racism as a Public Health Crisis: Moving Beyond the Rhetoric!

It is well documented that systemic racism and social injustice result in health inequities for communities of color, including premature death. To date, more than 260 municipalities across the United States have declared racism as a public health crisis. In January 2021, the Nation’s Health, a monthly American Public Health Association newsletter, acknowledged Genesee County, Michigan, as one of the communities leading the work in operationalizing these declarations. This research highlights community engagement and participatory processes, models, and tools used to operationalize racism as a public health crisis in Genesee County. A participatory approach grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods was used to operationalize Genesee County’s resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. To ensure our efforts centered community voices, experiences, and priorities, our methodology consisted of: 1) hosting community dialogues focused on systemic racism; 2) the novel application of a committee composition matrix to develop a geographically and socially diverse Community Action Council to serve as the decision-making body for our strategic plan to identify and address systemic racism within Genesee County; 3) the development of a draft county-wide strategic plan; and 4) focus groups to review and provide feedback on the drafted strategic plan. CBPR provides guidance for effective community engagement and ensures that community voices are centered when identifying effective responses to systemic racism. CBPR principles also foster co-ownership of solutions, increasing trust, transparency, and accountability between researchers, community members, and other stakeholders.

An international perspective on the use of community engagement by conservation practitioners to support the management of inhabited islands

AbstractSuccessful island conservation is critical to achieving global biodiversity targets, but significant gaps remain in our understanding of how to effectively engage island communities in conservation efforts. Social and political factors often play a major role in decision‐making processes on inhabited islands, making effective community engagement critical. To better understand the issue, we conducted an international survey of practitioners across 43 islands to understand how they engage with local communities and which methods they consider to be most effective to support their conservation goals. Most respondents used at least one form of community engagement, many using five or more different methods. Communicative and consultative modes of engagement were most commonly used, which require fewer resources and less intensive participation by the community, while only half used the more demanding collaborative approaches to engagement. Indigenous co‐management was reported by practitioners to be the most effective method for positive engagement and to support conservation outcomes, and was implemented on two‐thirds of islands with an indigenous population. Our study supports the view that practitioners consider community engagement an important part of island conservation management, but that there is a tendency for practitioners to rely on one‐way communication, rather than more resource intensive, collaborative approaches to working with communities. Future research should investigate how the communities themselves perceive different engagement methods to gain the full picture of engagement effectiveness.

Community engagement in research addressing infectious diseases of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: A qualitative systematic review.

Though engaging communities in research processes has several advantages and implications, research efforts are poorly embedded in and linked with communities, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is also a need for more empirical evidence on effectively engaging communities in research in LMICs, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Thus, there is an urgent need to synthesize existing evidence on community engagement experiences in research in SSA. Therefore, this review aimed to synthesize the existing community engagement experiences and related barriers to engaging communities in health research focusing on infectious diseases of poverty in SSA. The systematic review was conducted following the JBI methodology for qualitative systematic reviews. The review included both published and unpublished studies. A thematic analysis approach was used for data synthesis. A total of 40 studies were included in the review. Community engagement in the conceptualization of the research project, analysis, dissemination, and interpretation of the result was rare. On top of this, almost all the research projects engaged the community at a lower level of engagement (i.e., informing or consulting the community at some point in the research process), suggesting the importance of integrating communities in the entire research cycle. The lack of shared control over the research by the community was one of the significant challenges mentioned. This review uncovered that community engagement in the research process is minimal. Nevertheless, the review generated valuable evidence that can inform researchers and research stakeholders to promote effective community engagement in the research process addressing infectious diseases of poverty. Despite these, it requires rigorous primary studies to examine the applicability and usefulness of community engagement, including developing valid metrics of engagement, standardizations of reporting community engagements, and views and understandings of communities and stakeholders on the values, expectations, and concepts of community engagement in research.

The Role of Regional Development Banks (BPD) In Enhancing Community Welfare: A Case Study in West Kalimantan

Regional banks, known as Bank Pembangunan Daerah (BPD), play a vital role in regional economic development in Indonesia, particularly in supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) and various local development programs. This study focuses on the BPD in West Kalimantan, examining its contribution to economic development and community welfare. Utilizing a literature review methodology, we analyzed various studies and data from 2010 to 2017, highlighting the performance and impact of Bank Pembangunan Daerah Kalimantan Barat (Bank Kalbar). The findings reveal significant growth in Bank Kalbar's assets, third-party funds, and credit disbursements, reflecting its commitment to supporting UMKM. Additionally, the bank’s initiatives in sustainable finance, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and inclusive finance have enhanced local economic development and social infrastructure. Programs aimed at promoting technopreneurship, financial inclusion, and environmental sustainability have bolstered community welfare, demonstrating the bank's role in improving living standards and environmental conservation. The study underscores the importance of Bank Kalbar’s role in providing financial services and support for local communities, contributing to economic resilience and poverty alleviation in West Kalimantan. Furthermore, the research highlights challenges faced by BPDs, including the need for better regulatory support and operational efficiency. The study concludes with recommendations for optimizing the role of BPDs in sustainable development, emphasizing the importance of effective governance, risk management, and community engagement to enhance their impact on regional development and welfare.

The landscape of physical sexual violence in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria: A systematic review

The present study aimed to determine the trending country-specific common forms and patterns of sexual violence in Sub-Saharan African countries considering the multi-component nature of the menace. We systematically reviewed the population-based studies, obtained from PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar, that dealt with all-encompassing physical sexual violence in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria. The quality and significance of the data obtained were assessed, and similar events were grouped and reported found to have inspired policy recommendations for non-sexual violence initiatives and respect for sexual and reproductive health rights in Sub-Saharan Africa. This systematic review revealed that sexual violence is captured as sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse, rape, coercive sex, incest, child sexual abuse, and intimate partner sexual violence. Botswana ranked first in worldwide rape statistics, while Nigeria and Kenya ranked 135th and 103rd, respectively. Ethiopia’s global rape ranking was not available at the completion of writing this paper, and further statistical proof(s) on these ranks were also not established in this review. The historic record for Botswana on forced sex reads 10.3% while forced marriage for Ethiopia shows 58%. Across the four countries selected, intimate partner violence ranges between 9.0% and 58.6%. While completed rapes, attempted rapes, and forced sexual initiation were mentioned in a few studies, the lifetime sexual violence ranges between 45.4% and 56%. In addition, the generic sexual violence was between 9.6% and 61.2%. In summation, sexual violence is prevailing at the locations of study, regardless of age, gender, or community. However, since the actual or suspected dominant perpetrators of sexual violence are overrepresented in the male populations, enlightenment campaigns should be implemented for boys and men so that they grow more conscious of other gender’s sexual rights in the conduct or pursuit of their sexual satisfaction and behavior. Effective community engagement (with parents, workers, academics, and students) should be prioritized by various governments and other stakeholders toward the achievement of improved sexual health, and well-being among the populace.

Unveiling the Potential of Open-Source Software Integration in Education: Advantages, Challenges, and Effective Strategies

Unveiling the Potential of Open-Source Software Integration in Education: Advantages, Challenges, and Effective Strategies

Engaging communities as partners in health crisis response: a realist-informed scoping review for research and policy

BackgroundHealth is increasingly affected by multiple types of crises. Community engagement is recognised as being a critical element in successful crisis response, and a number of conceptual frameworks and global guideline documents have been produced. However, little is known about the usefulness of such documents and whether they contain sufficient information to guide effective community engagement in crisis response. We undertake a scoping review to examine the usefulness of conceptual literature and official guidelines on community engagement in crisis response using a realist-informed analysis [exploring contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes(CMOs)]. Specifically, we assess the extent to which sufficient detail is provided on specific health crisis contexts, the range of mechanisms (actions) that are developed and employed to engage communities in crisis response and the outcomes achieved. We also consider the extent of analysis of interactions between the mechanisms and contexts which can explain whether successful outcomes are achieved or not.Scope and findingsWe retained 30 documents from a total of 10,780 initially identified. Our analysis found that available evidence on context, mechanism and outcomes on community engagement in crisis response, or some of their elements, was promising, but few documents provided details on all three and even fewer were able to show evidence of the interactions between these categories, thus leaving gaps in understanding how to successfully engage communities in crisis response to secure impactful outcomes. There is evidence that involving community members in all the steps of response increases community resilience and helps to build trust. Consistent communication with the communities in time of crisis is the key for effective responses and helps to improve health indicators by avoiding preventable deaths.ConclusionsOur analysis confirms the complexity of successful community engagement and the need for strategies that help to deal with this complexity to achieve good health outcomes. Further primary research is needed to answer questions of how and why specific mechanisms, in particular contexts, can lead to positive outcomes, including what works and what does not work and how to measure these processes.

Conspiracy Theories, Vaccine Hesitancy and Determinants of Vaccination Acceptance in Nigeria: A Conceptual Review

Purpose: This conceptual review aims to dissect the intricate web of conspiracy theories, vaccine hesitancy and determinants of vaccination acceptance within Nigeria's socio-cultural context, shedding light on their genesis, propagation and impact on public health outcomes. Methodology: Employing a multidisciplinary approach, this study synthesizes existing literature and theoretical frameworks from various disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, public health, and communication studies. Methodological rigor is ensured through comprehensive literature review and critical appraisal of relevant studies, enabling a holistic exploration of the subject matter. Findings: Through a systematic analysis, the review identifies and examines socio-cultural, economic and political influences that shape vaccination behavior in Nigeria. It illuminates the multifaceted determinants contributing to vaccine hesitancy, ranging from religious beliefs to historical legacies to socio-economic factors and healthcare accessibility challenges. The review also highlights the genesis and propagation of conspiracy narratives, their impact on public trust in vaccination and consequent implications for immunization uptake. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This review makes several contributions to theory, policy, and practice in the field of vaccination and public health. Firstly, it advances theoretical understanding by synthesizing existing knowledge and proposing conceptual frameworks that elucidate the socio-cultural, economic, and political determinants of vaccination behavior in Nigeria. Secondly, it informs policy development by identifying key areas for intervention, such as addressing vaccine hesitancy, countering misinformation, and strengthening healthcare infrastructure to enhance vaccine delivery. Finally, it offers practical insights for public health practitioners and policymakers, providing evidence-based recommendations for designing effective vaccination campaigns, communication strategies, and community engagement initiatives tailored to the Nigerian context.

The Strategic Role of Zakat Management in Socio-Economic Empowerment of the Ummah

Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, holds significant potential for socio-economic empowerment within Muslim communities. This research delves into the strategic role of zakat management in Indonesia's socio-economic empowerment of the Ummah through a qualitative lens. Employing qualitative analysis, this study explores the mechanisms, challenges, and successes of zakat management in Indonesia and its impact on the socio-economic well-being of the Ummah. Through in-depth interviews, document analysis, and thematic coding, the research uncovers critical insights into how zakat management can be strategically leveraged to uplift the Ummah in Indonesia. The findings shed light on the importance of effective zakat management frameworks, institutional collaborations, and community engagement in fostering socio-economic empowerment among the Ummah.

Global health systems strengthening: FIGO's strategic view on reducing maternal and newborn mortality worldwide.

To demonstrate that successful health systems strengthening (HSS) projects have addressed disparities and inequities in maternal and perinatal care in low-income countries. A comprehensive literature review covered the period between 1980 and 2022, focusing on successful HSS interventions within health systems' seven core components that improved maternal and perinatal care. The findings highlight the importance of integrating quality interventions into robust health systems, as this has been shown to reduce maternal and newborn mortality. However, several challenges, including service delivery gaps, poor data use, and funding deficits, continue to hinder the delivery of quality care. To improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, a comprehensive HSS strategy is essential, which should include infrastructure enhancement, workforce skill development, access to essential medicines, and active community engagement. Effective health systems, leadership, and community engagement are crucial for a comprehensive HSS approach to catalyze progress toward universal health coverage and global improvements in maternal and newborn health.

Environmental Justice and Resource Extraction: Analyzing the Social Dynamics of Mining Projects

Environmental justice issues are increasingly prevalent in resource extraction industries, particularly in the context of mining projects. This study aims to investigate the social dynamics surrounding mining activities and their implications for environmental justice. Using a qualitative approach, including literature review and library research, this research explores the multifaceted aspects of environmental justice in the context of mining projects. The primary objective is to identify the underlying social factors that contribute to environmental injustices in resource extraction activities. The study examines various dimensions of environmental justice, including access to information, public participation, and distributive fairness. Furthermore, it investigates the differential impacts of mining projects on vulnerable and marginalized communities, as well as the challenges they face in seeking redress and equitable treatment. By analyzing case studies and scholarly literature, this research provides insights into the complex social dynamics shaping environmental justice outcomes in resource extraction contexts. The findings highlight the importance of effective governance mechanisms, regulatory frameworks, and community engagement processes in addressing environmental justice concerns and promoting sustainable resource management practices. Moreover, the study underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure equitable outcomes and mitigate the adverse social and environmental impacts of mining activities.

Soil adsorption potential: Harnessing Earth's living skin for mitigating climate change and greenhouse gas dynamics

Soil adsorption, which could be seen as a crucial ecosystem service, plays a pivotal role in regulating environmental quality and climate dynamics. However, despite its significance, it is often undervalued within the realms of research and policy frameworks. This article delves into the multifaceted aspects of soil adsorption, incorporating insights from chemistry and material science, ecological perspectives, and recent advancements in the field. In exploring soil components and their adsorption capacities, the review highlights how organic and inorganic constituents orchestrate soil's aptitude for pollutant mitigation and nutrient retention/release. Innovative materials and technologies such as biochar are evaluated for their efficacy in enhancing these natural processes, drawing a link with the sustainability of agricultural systems. The symbiosis between soil microbial diversity and adsorption mechanisms is examined, emphasizing the potential for leveraging this interaction to bolster soil health and resilience. The impact of soil adsorption on global nutrient cycles and water quality underscores the environmental implications, portraying it as a sentinel in the face of escalating anthropogenic activities. The complex interplay between soil adsorption mechanisms and climate change is elaborated, identifying research gaps and advocating for future investigations to elucidate the dynamics underpinning this relation. Policy and socioeconomic aspects form a crucial counterpart to the scientific discourse, with the review assessing how effective governance, incentivization, and community engagement are essential for translating soil adsorption's functionality into tangible climate change mitigation and sustainable land-use strategies. Integrating these diverse but interconnected strata, the article presents a comprehensive overview that not only charts the current state of soil adsorption research but also casts a vision for its future trajectory. It calls for an integrated approach combining scientific inquiry, technological innovation, and proactive policy to leverage soil adsorption's full potential to address environmental challenges and catalyze a transition towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

One size doesn't fit all: methodological reflections in conducting community-based behavioural science research to tailor COVID-19 vaccination initiatives for public health priority populations.

Promoting the uptake of vaccination for infectious diseases such as COVID-19 remains a global challenge, necessitating collaborative efforts between public health units (PHUs) and communities. Applied behavioural science can play a crucial role in supporting PHUs' response by providing insights into human behaviour and informing tailored strategies to enhance vaccination uptake. Community engagement can help broaden the reach of behavioural science research by involving a more diverse range of populations and ensuring that strategies better represent the needs of specific communities. We developed and applied an approach to conducting community-based behavioural science research with ethnically and socioeconomically diverse populations to guide PHUs in tailoring their strategies to promote COVID-19 vaccination. This paper presents the community engagement methodology and the lessons learned in applying the methodology. The community engagement methodology was developed based on integrated knowledge translation (iKT) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles. The study involved collaboration with PHUs and local communities in Ontario, Canada to identify priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, understand factors influencing vaccine uptake and co-design strategies tailored to each community to promote vaccination. Community engagement was conducted across three large urban regions with individuals from Eastern European communities, African, Black, and Caribbean communities and low socioeconomic neighbourhoods. We developed and applied a seven-step methodology for conducting community-based behavioural science research: (1) aligning goals with system-level partners; (2) engaging with PHUs to understand priorities; (3) understanding community strengths and dynamics; (4) building relationships with each community; (5) establishing partnerships (community advisory groups); (6) involving community members in the research process; and (7) feeding back and interpreting research findings. Research partnerships were successfully established with members of prioritized communities, enabling recruitment of participants for theory-informed behavioural science interviews, interpretation of findings, and co-design of targeted recommendations for each PHU to improve COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Lessons learned include the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness of sociopolitical context in tailoring community engagement, being agile to address the diverse and evolving priorities of PHUs, and building trust to achieve effective community engagement. Effective community engagement in behavioural science research can lead to more inclusive and representative research. The community engagement approach developed and applied in this study acknowledges the diversity of communities, recognizes the central role of PHUs, and can help in addressing complex public health challenges.

Implementing active surveillance for TB: A descriptive survey of healthcare workers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

South Africa is a tuberculosis (TB) high-burden country. In the Eastern Cape (EC), community health worker (CHW) teams implement active surveillance for TB to curb spread in disadvantaged communities. However, achieving the goals of the End-TB strategy require coordinated efforts that implement policy and strengthen health systems. This survey described views of healthcare workers (HCWs) in primary care facilities on factors that influence implementation of active surveillance for TB. This survey was conducted across two districts, among healthcare workers working in TB rooms at primary health facilities. A cross-sectional survey of HCW in the EC. The survey included 37 clinics in the OR Tambo Health District (ORTHD) and 44 clinics in the Nelson Mandela Bay Health District (NMBHD). Routine screening at primary care facilities (88.2%) and contact tracing initiatives (80.8%) were the common modes of TB screening. Tuberculosis screening services in the community were only provided by CHWs in 67.3% of instances. Although CHWs were adequately trained and motivated; the lack of transport, limited availability of outreach team leaders (OTLs) and poor security limited implementation of TB screening services in the community. Comparison between both districts revealed TB screening was limited by lack of transport in the rural district and poor security in the urban context. Community engagement provided a platform for improving acceptability. Community-based TB screening was limited. Inadequate coordination of services between stakeholders in the community has limited reach. Further research should describe that coordinating resource allocation and community empowerment could improve the implementation of active surveillance for TB.Contribution:This study highlights the views of TB room HCWs who believe the opportunity for community-level TB screening is improved with effective leadership and community engagement for acceptability of these services.

Unpacking the complexities, challenges, and nuances of museum community engagement practitioners' narratives on knowledge production in Scotland

AbstractThis paper explores how community engagement practitioners understand their knowledge production work in facilitating and choreographing dialogical spaces (Freire, 2005) within which “organic intellectuals” (Gramsci, 1971) and “alternative” knowledge emerge. Using a qualitative, phenomenological research strategy, data were generated through semi‐structured interviews with community engagement practitioners in Scotland. Practitioners emphasize the importance of equity in the relationship with project participants in knowledge production. Practitioners' narratives reveal how those relationships are realized and how these inform their own and the museum institutions' practice. We acknowledge that community‐based project participants' expertise is prioritized by practitioners as critical to effective community engagement. We argue for a nuanced conceptualization—and appreciation—of the complexities inherent in museum community engagement practice, which is often absent in museum studies work. This conceptualization is embedded in practitioners' subjective experiences and reflections, as well as structural contexts, which simultaneously enable and constrain meaningful community engagement work.

Implementation of Pamsimas: Realizing the Sustainability of Drinking Water and Sanitation in Villages

The purpose of this study is to assess the implementation of Community-Based Drinking Water and Sanitation Provision (Pamsimas) in Sidomulyo Village, Krian District, Sidoarjo Regency. This qualitative research provides an overview of the implementation process in the village. Data was collected through observation, interviews, and documentation, and analyzed using data reduction, data presentation, and data verification techniques proposed by Miles and Huberman. The results indicate that communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure are key indicators of Pamsimas implementation in Sidomulyo Village. Communication is smooth, resources are sufficient, residents are committed, and the bureaucratic structure adheres to standard operating procedures. These findings have implications for the successful implementation of Pamsimas in similar contexts, highlighting the importance of effective communication, adequate resources, community engagement, and adherence to standard procedures Highlight : Effective communication is a key indicator of successful Pamsimas implementation. Adequate resources are necessary for the implementation of Pamsimas. Adherence to standard operating procedures is crucial for the successful implementation of Pamsimas. Keywords: Pamsimas, implementation, community-based, drinking water, sanitation.

Community perceptions and willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials: a qualitative study in Northern Ghana

Background: Several COVID-19 vaccines were developed and are being tested to find effective vaccine to control the COVID-19 pandemic. The Navrongo health research centre was engaged to conduct trials on the safety and efficacy of some of the COVID-19 vaccines to inform policy in Ghana. This study explored perceptions and willingness to participate in the COVID-19 vaccine trials that were conducted in the Kassena-Nankana districts of Northen Ghana. Methods: This study used qualitative research approach where 10 focus group discussions and 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with participants. The data were coded into themes using QSR NVivo 12 software before thematic analysis. Results: The majority of participants perceived that the COVID-19 vaccine trial was a good initiative, which had helped people to get access to the vaccines to boost their immunity against the virus. However, some participants felt that it was not appropriate for NHRC to conduct the trials because of the perceived risks associated with the vaccines. Most participants said they were ready to participate in the trials if they were invited with many of them mentioning good health and compensation as the main factors that could influence their decision. Nonetheless, a good number of them maintained that they were not ready to participate because of perceived risks resulting from receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusion: Our recommendation is that effective community engagement strategies by researchers such as collaborating with key community leaders, to actively get involved during community education prior to conducting clinical trials, could improve understanding and participation.

중국 기업의 가상 브랜드 커뮤니티 분위기가 소비자 가치공동 창출 행위에 미치는 영향

Purpose - This study is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and aims to explore the decision-making mechanisms of consumers participating in value co-creation activities within virtual brand communities.
 Methodology - The research involved a comprehensive survey of 405 participants from various virtual brand communities. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used for data analysis, applying SPSS and AMOS to test the hypotheses. The study focused on community rules and regulations, community experience and community trust.
 Results - The research found that community rules and regulations significantly impact subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, but not directly influence consumer attitudes. Community experience positively affected consumer attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Community trust was found to positively influence these aspects of consumer decision-making. However, a gap was identified in the direct influence of perceived behavioral control on actual consumer behavior.
 Implications - The findings of this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of factors affecting consumer behavior in virtual brand communities. It underscores the necessity for community managers to develop strategies that consider these internal decision-making mechanisms, facilitating more effective community engagement. The study also identifies a potential area for future research in the direct influence of perceived behavioral control on actual consumer behavior.

The Effect of Community-Based Intervention on Dengue Awareness and Prevention Among Poor Urban Communities in Delhi, India.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a dengue intervention program in economically deprived urban regions of India, with a particular emphasis on housing conditions and community involvement. Given the global significance of dengue fever as a vector-borne disease, successful vector management requires effective community engagement. Study Design: A quasi-experimental study. This study was conducted with 314 participants from Delhi's Sanjay Colony, divided into control and intervention groups. The study spanned 14 months (August 2020 to September 2021). The intervention program comprised two educational sessions held one month apart, covering dengue awareness, health self-care, and environmental maintenance. Data were collected at baseline, after each intervention session, and during a final follow-up assessment three months later. The primary outcome, the house index (HI), revealed statistically significant differences (P<0.001) favoring the intervention group. The total score (TS) for mosquito-borne disease, TS of knowledge, TS of attitude, and TS of practices all exhibited significant improvements in the intervention group. Participants showed an enhanced understanding of dengue causes, symptoms, and mosquito behavior related to breeding and biting. The HI in the intervention group decreased significantly from 21.65% to 4.45% (P<0.05). This study, grounded in the health belief model (HBM), demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention program in reducing HI and improving knowledge and preventive practices regarding dengue fever in impoverished urban neighborhoods of Delhi. The intervention program may be beneficial in such a poor urban community.