A citizen science approach to determine perceived barriers and promoters of physical activity in a low-income South African community

Odunitan-Wayas, Feyisayo A; Hamann, Nicola; Sinyanya, Nandipha A; King, Abby C.; Banchoff, Ann; Winter, Sandra J.; Hendricks, Sharief; Okop, Kufre; Lambert, Estelle V.

doi:10.1080/17441692.2020.1712449

Cited by 23 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This approach has been used to promote and increase PA and other healthy behaviors [ 29 ]. Although it has been used mostly in developed countries, the citizen science approach has been used to determine the enablers and barriers of PA in adults from a low-income urban area in South Africa [ 30 ] and in adults and adolescents in Mexico [ 31 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent Levers for a Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Across Socioecological Levels in Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, and Jamaica: Mixed Methods Study Protocol

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background The increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases that are prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is largely attributed to modifiable behavioral risk factors such as unhealthy diets and insufficient physical activity (PA). The adolescent stage, defined as 10 to 24 years of age, is an important formative phase of life and offers an opportunity to reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases across the life course and for future generations. Objective The aim of this paper is to describe a protocol for a study using a convergent mixed methods design to explore exposures in the household, neighborhood, school, and the journey from home to school that may influence diet and PA behaviors in adolescents from LMICs. Methods Male and female adolescents (n≥150) aged between 13 and 24 years will be recruited from selected high schools or households in project site countries to ensure the socioeconomic diversity of perspectives and experiences at the individual, home, and neighborhood levels. The project will be conducted at 5 sites in 4 countries: Kenya, Cameroon, Jamaica, and South Africa (Cape Town and Johannesburg). Data on anthropometric measures, food intake, and PA knowledge and behavior will be collected using self-report questionnaires. In addition, a small number of learners (n=30-45) from each site will be selected as citizen scientists to capture data (photographs, audio notes, text, and geolocations) on their lived experiences in relation to food and PA in their homes, the journey to and from school, and the school and neighborhood environments using a mobile app, and for objective PA measurements. In-depth interviews will be conducted with the citizen scientists and their caregivers to explore household experiences and determinants of food intake and foodways, as well as the PA of household members. Results The study described in this protocol paper was primarily funded through a UK National Institute for Health Research grant in 2017 and approved by the relevant institutional ethics review boards in the country sites (South Africa, Cameroun, and Jamaica in 2019, and Kenya in 2020). As of December 23, 2020, we had completed data collection from adolescents (n≥150) in all the country sites, except Kenya, and data collection for the subgroup (n=30-45) is ongoing. Data analysis is ongoing and the output of findings from the study described in this protocol is expected to be published by 2022. Conclusions This project protocol contributes to research that focuses on adolescents and the socioecological determinants of food intake and PA in LMIC settings. It includes innovative methodologies to interrogate and map the contexts of these determinants and will generate much-needed data to understand the multilevel system of factors that can be leveraged through upstream and downstream strategies and interventions to improve health outcomes. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/26739

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent Levers for a Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Across Socioecological Levels in Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, and Jamaica: Mixed Methods Study Protocol

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Data extraction and quick analysis will follow the steps presented in Table 3. Similar to evidence-based participatory citizen science methods, such as Our Voice, from which the overall study methods were adapted [33,34], citizen scientists will work together to agree on interpretation and communication of findings with the assistance of the qualitative researcher(s).…”

Section: Citizen Science Data Extraction and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Community-driven citizen science approach to explore cardiovascular disease risk perception, and develop prevention advocacy strategies in sub-Saharan Africa: a programme protocol

et al. 2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which experiences a disproportionately high cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden, population-based screening and prevention measures are hampered by low levels of knowledge about CVD and associated risk factors, and inaccurate perceptions of severity of risk. Methods This protocol describes the planned processes for implementing community-driven participatory research, using a citizen science method to explore CVD risk perceptions and to develop community-specific advocacy and prevention strategies in the rural and urban SSA settings. Multi-disciplinary research teams in four selected African countries will engage with and train community members living in rural and urban communities as citizen scientists to facilitate conceptualization, co-designing of research, data gathering, and co-creation of knowledge that can lead to a shared agenda to support collaborative participation in community-engaged science. The emphasis is on robust community engagement, using mobile technology to support data gathering, participatory learning, and co-creation of knowledge and disease prevention advocacy. Discussion Contextual processes applied and lessons learned in specific settings will support redefining or disassembling boundaries in participatory science to foster effective implementation of sustainable prevention intervention programmes in Low- and Middle-income countries.

show abstract

“…Thus, there is an opportunity to harness the latent potential of patients’ individual experiences, including those often invisible to researchers and clinicians, 24 , 25 empower them to transform these experiences into information, and work with them to translate such information into policy guidance at the institutional, local, state, and federal levels. Initial efforts 26 , 27 show feasibility and potential of leveraging the synergy between informatics and citizen science for health equity efforts. For example, Kim et al, 26 conducted a community health and food security study in which Karuk Tribe youth developed leadership and research skills and used a mobile app for data collection.…”

Section: Existing and Emerging Models Of Patient Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Informatics-enabled citizen science to advance health equity

Valdez

Detmer

Bourne

et al. 2021

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again highlighted the ubiquity and persistence of health inequities along with our inability to respond to them in a timely and effective manner. There is an opportunity to address the limitations of our current approaches through new models of informatics-enabled research and clinical practice that shift the norm from small- to large-scale patient engagement. We propose augmenting our approach to address health inequities through informatics-enabled citizen science, challenging the types of questions being asked, prioritized, and acted upon. We envision this democratization of informatics that builds upon the inclusive tradition of community-based participatory research (CBPR) as a logical and transformative step toward improving individual, community, and population health in a way that deeply reflects the needs of historically marginalized populations.

show abstract

A citizen science approach to determine perceived barriers and promoters of physical activity in a low-income South African community

Cited by 23 publications

References 28 publications

Adolescent Levers for a Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Across Socioecological Levels in Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, and Jamaica: Mixed Methods Study Protocol

Adolescent Levers for a Diet and Physical Activity Intervention Across Socioecological Levels in Kenya, South Africa, Cameroon, and Jamaica: Mixed Methods Study Protocol

Community-driven citizen science approach to explore cardiovascular disease risk perception, and develop prevention advocacy strategies in sub-Saharan Africa: a programme protocol

Informatics-enabled citizen science to advance health equity

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About