| dc.description.abstract | Introduction Citizen science (CS) is an emerging
approach in public health to harness the collective
intelligence of individuals to augment traditional scientific
efforts. However, citizens viewpoint, especially the hard to-reach population, is lacking in current outbreak-related
literature. We aim to understand the awareness, readiness
and feasibility of outbreak-related CS, including digitally
enabled CS, in low-income and middle-income countries.
Methods This mixed-method study was conducted in
nine countries between October 2022 and June 2023.
Recruitment through civil society targeted the general
population, marginalised/indigenous groups, youth and
community health workers. Participants (aged ?18 years)
completed a quantitative survey, and a subset participated
in focus group discussions (FGDs).
Results 2912 participants completed the survey and
4 FGDs were conducted in each country. Incorporating
participants perspectives, CS is defined as the
practice of active public participation, collaboration and
communication in all aspects of scientific research to
increase public knowledge, create awareness, build
trust and facilitate information flow between citizens,
governments and scientists. In Bangladesh, Indonesia,
the Philippines, Cameroon and Kenya, majority were
unaware of outbreak-related CS. In India and Uganda,
majority were aware but unengaged, while in Nepal and
Zimbabwe, majority participated in CS before. Engagement
approaches should consider different social and cultural
contexts, while addressing incentivisation, attitudes and
practicality factors. Overall, 76.0% expressed interest
in digital CS but needed training to build skills and
confidence. Digital CS was perceived as convenient, safer
for outbreak-related activities and producing better quality
and quantity of data. However, there were concerns over
non-inclusion of certain groups, data security and unclear
communication.
Conclusion CS interventions need to be relatable
and address context-specific factors influencing CS | |
