“Chagas Express XXI”: A new ArtScience social technology for health and science education—A case study in Brazilian endemic areas of Chagas disease with an active search of chronic cases

Abstract

Background Chagas Disease (CD) affects 6–7 million people worldwide and is related to poverty-promoting conditions. Chronic asymptomatic cases are mostly invisible to health systems. Aiming (1) to translate CD discoveries into education/information practices to raise alertness and empowerment of affected people; and (2) to perform an active search of CD cases, articulating intersectoral actions to improve the access of infected people to the local health service for the treatment of CD; our research group developed and tested under field conditions as innovative social technology: an itinerant education interdisciplinary setting named “Chagas Express XXI” (CE21). Methodology CE21 was created as an “imaginary train” with ~40 ArtScience workshops, games, laboratory activities and conversation circles. An entry/exit plus six activity modules combined associations of affected people, microscopic observations, One Health education, and wellness activities. CE21 was conceived as a social technology, since all the processes were co-created with CD patients and inter-sector local partners. Descriptive statistics showed quantitative data collected throughout the expeditions (CD knowledge, serological results). Qualitative data accessed the public perceptions about the education activities. Principal findings CE21 was exhibited in local educational institutions (schools, universities) in four cities, engaging 2,117 people that evaluated the 41 activities carried out. Citizens and health professionals enjoyed acquisition of information related to blood, parasites, vectors, reservoirs, environmental changes, and social determinants of CD. Further, local legacies of 600 participants volunteer for health promotion groups and CD associations, local empowerment groups to fight for better health conditions, and 05 mural paintings. We observed that 81% of the participants ignored the possibility of treating CD while 52% of the participants requested a blood test for CD showing seropositivity in 20% of them. Conclusions CE21 is a social technology potentially useful for health and science education and active search of asymptomatic CD chronic cases. Moreover, this technology may be adapted to understand and to cooperate in other potentially epidemic situations, especially NTDs related.

Selenium, TGF-Beta and Infectious Endemic Cardiopathy: Lessons from Benchwork to Clinical Application in Chagas Disease

“…Finally, in addition to our data and the two lessons and implications of STCC, the trial also generated a social legacy (Figure 3): the creation of the Rio Chagas Association and the development of the Chagas Express social technology [57]. These two social spin-offs resulted from STCC after a decision to work on possible secondary social results, related to the translational research assumption that the patients should be central to all the goals in a study [58].…”

“…This culminated with the creation of the new Rio Chagas Association (Figure 3c), the first social legacy. The second was the co-creation of a new and original social technology called "Chagas Express 21" (Figure 3d,e), recently presented in a specific paper [57] and in a virtual presentation during COVID-19 pandemics (Figure 3e, available at http://chagas.fiocruz.br/ accessed on 18 February 2022). This technology enables a direct communication with communities and health professionals for education and expansion of diagnostic and therapeutic access in the primary health system.…”

Translational research in Chagas disease: perspectives in nutritional therapy emerging from selenium supplementation studies as a complementary treatment

“…An important development would be a Brazilian platform for clinical studies on CD in endemic areas in a multicentric network, inspired by the Bolivian example and the Nhepacha network experiences. (14) In Brazil, we intend to incorporate Chagas Express XXI (CE21) as a cutting-edge social educational technology to help in this achievement, (15) since we demonstrated its potential as an instrument of field epidemiology. CE21 is part of STCC social legacy and was created as an "imaginary train" with more than 40 ArtScience workshops, games, laboratory activities and conversation circles.…”

The Saga of Selenium Treatment Investigation in Chagas Disease Cardiopathy: Translational Research in a Neglected Tropical Disease in Brazil

“…"Rio Chagas Collective" on social media, which gave rise to the (iii) "Rio Chagas Association," founded on April 8, 2016, in which we participate in the Scientific Council; and (iv) the Rio Chagas Association participants inspired us to conceive the "Chagas Express XXI" social technology [30]. 13.…”