The influence of gender and temephos exposure on community participation in dengue prevention: a compartmental mathematical model.

BACKGROUND: The use of temephos, the most common intervention for the chemical control of Aedes aegypti over the last half century, has disappointing results in control of the infection. The footprint of Aedes and the diseases it carries have spread relentlessly despite massive volumes of temephos. Recent advances in community participation show this might be more effective and sustainable for the control of the dengue vector. METHODS: Using data from the Camino Verde cluster randomized controlled trial, a compartmental mathematical model examines the dynamics of dengue infection with different levels of community participation, taking account of gender of respondent and exposure to temephos. RESULTS: Simulation of dengue endemicity showed community participation affected the basic reproductive number of infected people. The greatest short-term effect, in terms of people infected with the virus, was the combination of temephos intervention and community participation. There was no evidence of a protective effect of temephos 220 days after the onset of the spread of dengue. CONCLUSIONS: Male responses about community participation did not significantly affect modelled numbers of infected people and infectious mosquitoes. Our model suggests that, in the long term, community participation alone may have the best results. Adding temephos to community participation does not improve the effect of community participation alone.

Adapting Schools to Climate Change with Green, Blue, and Grey Measures in Barcelona: Study Protocol of a Mixed-Method Evaluation.

Under the framework of the Urban Innovative Actions program of the European Commission, in 2020, 11 primary schools in Barcelona were transformed into climate shelters by implementing green, blue, and grey measures. Schoolyards were also opened to the local community to be used during non-school periods. Here we present the study protocol of a mixed-method approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions in terms of improving environmental quality and health for users. We evaluated school level through the following: (1) quantitative pre-post quasi-experimental study, and (2) qualitative evaluation. The quantitative study included measures of (a) environmental variables (collected via low-cost and non-low-cost sensors), (b) students' health and well-being (collected via health questionnaires, attention levels test, and systematic observations), and (c) teachers' health and well-being (collected via thermal comfort measurements and health questionnaires). The qualitative methods evaluated the perceptions about the effects of the interventions among students (using Photovoice) and teachers (through focus groups). The impact of the interventions was assessed at community level during summer non-school periods through a spontaneous ethnographic approach. Data collection started in August 2019 and ended in July 2022. The evaluation provides the opportunity to identify those solutions that worked and those that need to be improved for future experiences, as well as improve the evaluation methodology and replication for these kinds of interventions.

Development of the TIFFIN recommendations for co-producing palliative and end-of-life care research with individuals with lived experience of homelessness: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Palliative care for people experiencing homelessness is a complex field. Due to the intricate nuances and heterogeneity in the experience of palliative care for people without secure housing, it is essential that research is informed by people with lived experience of homelessness. However, as homelessness is often associated with loss, trauma and high levels of exposure to death, any co-production of research, particularly in the field of palliative and end-of-life-care, must be trauma-informed. AIM: To produce recommendations for co-producing palliative and end-of-life-care research with people with lived experience of homelessness. DESIGN: A qualitative study comprising semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Data were analysed using iterative, reflexive thematic analysis. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven participants were recruited. Sixteen professionals with experience of co-producing research with people with lived experience of homelessness; eleven people with lived experience of homelessness. RESULTS: Six key themes were developed: transparency, importance of engagement and rapport, facilitating equitable involvement via person centred approach, financial recognition of involvement, involvement and growth through a trauma-informed approach and navigating institutional resistance and attitudes. Recommendations corresponding to the core themes were developed (TIFFIN recommendations). CONCLUSIONS: Co-production of palliative care research with people with lived experience of homelessness is essential, but must be done carefully and sensitively. As a population with high levels of premature morbidity and mortality yet low access to palliative care, the TIFFIN recommendations could help to support the involvement of people with lived experience of homelessness in palliative and end-of-life-care care research.

A Directed Content Analysis for Greatest Problems Among People With and Without Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the greatest problem or need among individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), as compared to individuals with a history of other neurological conditions, mental health conditions, and no history of neurological or mental health conditions. DESIGN: A directed content analysis of open-text responses to a single online survey question using a framework guided by the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: 2,861 community-dwelling adults (n = 274 with TBI; n = 289 with other neurological conditions besides TBI; n = 454 with mental health conditions but no neurological conditions; n = 1,844 controls). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Open-text responses to the survey prompt: "What was your greatest problem or need over the past 2 weeks?" RESULTS: The Participation index comprised the greatest proportion of responses across all four participant groups. A quarter (25.4%) of controls reported None (no problem/need), whereas only 7.9 -10.7% of participants in all other groups reported None. Among all groups, individuals with TBI reported the greatest proportion of problems in the Adjustment and Ability indices. Among people with TBI, Money Management (19.7%), None (10.6%), and Anxiety (7.7%) were the three most frequently reported problems. Compared to individuals with mild TBI (mTBI), individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI (msTBI) reported a higher proportion of problems in the Ability and Adjustment indices. Among individuals with msTBI, the Adjustment index accounted for the greatest proportion of problems. CONCLUSIONS: This study employed a person-centered approach to understanding the greatest needs among individuals with TBI. Qualitative differences were observed between individuals with and without a TBI, between people with mTBI and msTBI, and across genders among people with TBI. These findings can help guide research and policy towards addressing challenges perceived as highly important by people living in the community with TBI.

"You get out of the house, you talk to each other, you laugh And that's fantastic" - a qualitative study about older people's perceptions of social prescribing in mainland Portugal.

BACKGROUND: Social prescribing (SP) is a non-clinical approach, most commonly based in healthcare units, that aims to address non-medical health-related social needs by connecting individuals with community-based services. This qualitative study explores the perception of Portuguese older adults regarding the benefits of SP and their willingness to participate in SP initiatives. METHODS: Three face-to-face focus group sessions were conducted with 23 participants in different cities in Portugal. Open and semi-open questions were used to guide the discussions and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The participants recognized the potential benefits of SP for older adults, including diversifying leisure activities, improving mental health, and complementing existing support systems. They highlighted the need for external support, usually in the form of link workers, to facilitate personalized referrals and consider individual characteristics and preferences. While some participants expressed reluctance to engage in SP due to their existing busy schedules and a perceived sense of imposition, others showed openness to having new experiences and recognized the potential value of SP in promoting activity. Barriers to participation, including resistance to change, mobility issues, and family responsibilities, were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasizes the importance of a person-centered and co-designed approach to SP, involving older adults in the planning and implementation of interventions. The findings provide valuable insights for the development of SP programs tailored to the unique needs and aspirations of older adults in Portugal, ultimately promoting active and healthy aging. Future research should consider the perspectives of family doctors and include a broader representation of older adults from diverse geographic areas.

Sustainable political commitment is necessary for institutionalizing community participation in health policy-making: Insights from Iran.

BACKGROUND: Community participation is currently utilized as a national strategy to promote public health and mitigate health inequalities across the world. While community participation is acknowledged as a civic right in the Constitution of Iran and other related upstream documents, the government has typically failed in translating, integrating and implementing community participation in health system policy. The present study was conducted to determine the level of public voice consideration within the health policy in Iran and address fundamental interventions required to promote the public voice in the context of Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). This study has originality because there is no study that addresses the requirements of institutionalizing community participation especially in low-middle-income countries, so Iran's experience can be useful for other countries. METHODS: Methodologically, this study utilized a multi-method and multi-strand sequential research design, including qualitative, comparative and documentary studies. In the first phase, the current level of community participation in the health policy cycle of Iran was identified using the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) spectrum. In the second phase, a comparative study was designed to identify relevant interventions to promote the community participation level in the selected countries under study. In the third phase, a qualitative study was conducted to address the barriers, facilitators and strategies for improving the level of public participation. Accordingly, appropriate interventions and policy options were recommended. Interventions were reviewed in a policy dialogue with policy-makers and community representatives, and their effectiveness, applicability and practical feasibility were evaluated. RESULTS: Based on the IAP2 spectrum, the level of community participation in the health policy-making process is non-participation, while empowerment is set at the highest level in the upstream documents. Moreover, capacity-building, demand, mobilization of the local population, provision of resources and setting a specific structure were found to be among the key interventions to improve the level of community participation in Iran's health sector. More importantly, "political will for action" was identified as the driving force for implementing the necessary health interventions. CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, a paradigm shift in the governing social, economic and political philosophy; establishing a real-world and moral dialogue and communication between the government and the society; identifying and managing the conflicts of interest in the leading stockholders of the healthcare system; and, more importantly, maintaining a stable political will for action are integral to promote and institutionalize participatory governance in the health sector of Iran. All of the above will lead us to scheme, implement and institutionalize suitable interventions for participatory governance in health and medicine.

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

BACKGROUND: Health 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 FINDINGS: We 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. CONCLUSIONS: Our 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.

Social participation in health: analysis of progress and challenges for the Region of the Americas.

This article analyzes the state of social participation in health in the Region of the Americas, framing it within the regional context and commitments assumed by the Member States of the Pan American Health Organization. It aims to provide regional input to the discussion of a resolution on social participation for universal health coverage, health, and well-being at the 77th World Health Assembly in 2024. In the Americas, social participation has evolved from a utilitarian approach to a fundamental aspect of health system governance, enshrined within legal frameworks and recognized as a citizen's right. Regional resolutions emphasize inclusive policies and intersectoral action to tackle health inequities, meanwhile the World Health Organization handbook on social participation underscores the need for inclusive governance mechanisms and addressing power imbalances. Informed by Member States' recommendations and scientific literature, the article emphasizes the importance of addressing power imbalances, strengthening legal frameworks, and enhancing capacities of governments and populations. It stresses adapting social participation mechanisms to diverse cultural contexts and ensuring meaningful community involvement in decision-making. Finally, the article advocates for a comprehensive approach to social participation grounded in principles of equity, democracy, and human rights; and fundamentally as an essential component of the primary health care approach. It calls for integrating social participation into health system governance, policy dialogues, capacity-building, and evaluation to ensure effective participatory processes.

En este artículo se analiza el estado de la participación social en materia de salud en la Región de las Américas dentro del marco del contexto regional y los compromisos asumidos por los Estados Miembros de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud. El objetivo es proporcionar aportes regionales para las deliberaciones en torno a una resolución sobre la participación social para la cobertura universal de salud, la salud y el bienestar en la 77.a Asamblea Mundial de la Salud en el 2024.En la Región de las Américas, la participación social ha evolucionado de un enfoque utilitarista a ser considerada un aspecto fundamental de la gobernanza de los sistemas de salud, consagrado en los marcos jurídicos y reconocido como un derecho ciudadano. Las resoluciones regionales hacen hincapié en las políticas inclusivas y las medidas intersectoriales para abordar las inequidades en materia de salud, mientras que el manual de la Organización Mundial de la Salud sobre participación social destaca la necesidad de mecanismos de gobernanza inclusivos y el abordaje de los desequilibrios de poder.Basándose en las recomendaciones de los Estados Miembros y la bibliografía científica, el artículo subraya la importancia de abordar los desequilibrios de poder, fortalecer los marcos jurídicos y mejorar las capacidades de los gobiernos y las poblaciones. Hace hincapié en adaptar los mecanismos de participación social a contextos culturales diversos y garantizar una participación trascendente de la comunidad en la toma de decisiones.Por último, el artículo aboga por un enfoque integral de la participación social basado en principios de equidad, democracia y derechos humanos; y, fundamentalmente, como un componente esencial del enfoque de atención primaria de salud. Insta a integrar la participación social en la gobernanza del sistema de salud, los diálogos sobre las políticas, la creación de capacidad y la evaluación para garantizar procesos participativos eficaces.

Este artigo analisa a situação da participação social em saúde na Região das Américas tendo em conta o contexto regional e os compromissos assumidos pelos Estados Membros da Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde. O objetivo é oferecer contribuições regionais para a discussão de uma resolução sobre participação social para cobertura universal de saúde, saúde e bem-estar na 77ª Assembleia Mundial da Saúde, em 2024.Na Região das Américas, a participação social evoluiu, deixando de ser uma abordagem utilitarista para se tornar um aspecto fundamental de governança do sistema de saúde, consagrada por marcos legais e reconhecida como um direito dos cidadãos. As resoluções regionais enfatizam políticas inclusivas e ações intersetoriais para combater iniquidades em saúde, e o manual da Organização Mundial da Saúde sobre participação social ressalta a necessidade de contar com mecanismos inclusivos de governança e abordar desequilíbrios de poder.Com base nas recomendações dos Estados Membros e na literatura científica, o artigo destaca a importância de abordar desequilíbrios de poder, reforçar marcos legais e fortalecer as capacidades dos governos e das populações. Além disso, enfatiza a necessidade de adaptar mecanismos de participação social a diversos contextos culturais e assegurar um envolvimento significativo da comunidade na tomada de decisões.Por fim, o artigo defende uma abordagem abrangente de participação social com base em princípios de equidade, democracia e direitos humanos e, fundamentalmente, como um componente essencial da abordagem de atenção primária em saúde. O artigo urge a integração da participação social na governança do sistema de saúde, em diálogos sobre políticas, no desenvolvimento de capacidades e na avaliação, a fim de assegurar processos participativos efetivos.

Significance of an Interprofessional Healthy Aging Program for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Narrative Study.

Participation is widely recognized as an important health determinant for older adults. Exploring interventions to promote active participation of community-dwelling older adults is an important step in translating current knowledge into practice. Few studies have examined community-level interventions to support older adults' participation. The study purpose was to examine the significance of the lived experiences of community-dwelling older adults who participated in an interprofessional healthy aging promotion program. The specific aims were to uncover the narrative significance of the lived experiences and how they evolved and intertwined with the life histories of the older adults 2 years after the intervention ended. A narrative inquiry design was used. Four key informants participated in two semi-structured interviews and a member-checking process. The data were analyzed from a three-dimensional inquiry space of time and continuity, place and context, and social interactions. The findings affirmed three core threads that wove the participants' lived experiences within the program together with their life histories after the intervention. These were enjoyment, learning, and sharing. Four themes revealed the essential elements of the lived experience, and three others exposed participants' growth and life enrichment, all being fundamental to participation. The 3-year community-level intervention was valued and a novel opportunity for facilitating participation and successful aging. It allowed the participants to acquire an evolved vision of self, have meaningful interactions, develop the means to engage in future community activities, implement new self-care strategies, and establish memories and friendships significant for life participation.

Community Participation of Individuals with Mental Illnesses in Rural Areas: Stakeholder Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators.

Community inclusion and participation are social determinants of physical and mental health. This study examines activity preferences, barriers to engagement, and potential strategies for facilitating community participation for individuals with serious mental illness living in rural communities. Data for this qualitative study were collected in a series of focus groups with a stakeholders in rural Pennsylvania. Written responses to questions on activities, barriers, facilitators, and solutions were analyzed by members of the research team. The activities that are important to our participants included both those readily accessible in rural areas and those only accessible in more urban areas. Many of the barriers identified aligned with prior research (e.g., poverty, community mobility issues). A number of novel and feasible solutions to overcome barriers were provided at the policy, program, and practice levels, some of which that can be implemented immediately, to increase participation, and improve overall health of people with mental illnesses.

Community Participation Challenges for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders During COVID-19 A Photovoice Study.

Autistic Individuals with or without co-occurring Mental Health Conditions Experience Challenges with Community Participation that can Affect Quality of life. These Challenges Involve, but are not Limited to, Transportation, Finances, Accessibility, Attitude towards Participation, and Infrastructure Issues. COVID-19 Added a new Layer of Community Participation Barriers for all Individuals, Especially Autistic Individuals. The purpose of this study is to understand the perceived community participation barriers and facilitators encountered by autistic individuals during a public health crisis using the Photovoice methodology. The study will compare these perceptions of autistic individuals with and without co-occurring mental health conditions during a public health crisis to determine if any distinctions can be determined. Photovoice, an established qualitative outreach methodology, was the foundation for the methods. Participants completed a narrative answering the question "what is a barrier or facilitator to your community participation?" Data were analyzed using grounded theory. Seventeen autistic participants with a mean age of 23 completed the Photovoice study. Eleven (65%) reported at least one co- occurring mental health condition. Data analysis resulted in two major themes COVID-19 and Transportation; and six subthemes access, safety, technology, leisure, shared experiences, and sensory. Autistic individuals with and without co-occurring mental health conditions chose to identify barriers more than facilitators. Participants without co-occurring mental health conditions viewed COVID-19 as a facilitator almost twice as often as those without. Participants with co-occurring mental health conditions reported transportation more as a barrier than those without. In this study conducted during COVID-19 regulations, autistic individuals identified COVID-19 and transportation as the primary barriers to community participation. COVID-19 was identified as both a barrier and a facilitator. Autistic individuals identified that COVID-19 enabled more on-line participation. Autistic individuals with co-occurring mental health conditions can experience a greater increase in symptoms when daily routines and participation are affected. Disruption and changes in participation for the autistic community during the COVID-19 pandemic can have future implications on this population's ability to reintroduce themselves into community participation. Identified facilitators; technology, shared experiences, and leisure are useful tools to combat the participation barriers.

Understanding Community Participation in Tree Planting and Management in Deforested Areas in Cameroon's Western Highlands.

Deforestation and forest degradation continue to take place at alarming rates in Africa despite global net forest loss reductions. This is prompting large-scale forest restoration involving community volunteers to prevent, halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity for the sustainable development of forest landscapes in Africa. The study explored the motivations, challenges, barriers and negotiation strategies of community volunteers in ecosystem restoration and conservation initiatives in Cameroon's Western Highlands (Mount Bamboutos landscape), given that many such interventions are not achieving desired targets and goals. A total of 134 respondents involving farmers and local implementing NGO workers were interviewed, using semi-structured open-ended questionnaires. One focus group discussion was held with paramount traditional rulers to assess the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the community-led ecosystem restoration and conservation initiative. The principal components analysis with oblique (Direct oblimin) rotation was used to reduce the number of constitutive items in each dimension of motivation, challenge and barrier to community participation. Linear regression analysis was used to examine how the different dimensions of motivations, challenges and barriers influence community participation. Community participation was initially driven more by environmental motivations given the highly deforested and degraded Mount Bamboutos landscape, but later on driven more by economic and community motivations. Social factors were least expressed and non-significant predictors of participation. Community participation was primarily limited by management, financial, psychological, personal, and information challenges and barriers. Providing financial incentives to cover daily subsistence costs of food and transport was a key negotiation strategy that increased community participation. Conservation organisations should capitalise on environment, community and social motivational appeals during community education and awareness campaigns to increase voluntary community participation. The local knowledge on ecosystem restoration and conservation motivations, challenges, barriers, negotiation strategies, recommendations and SWOT analysis provide relevant baseline information for environment management decision-makers in Cameroon and other Sub-Saharan African countries.

Uncovering the relationship between community participation and socio-political control among the migrant population.

Prior research on psychological empowerment has found that community participation is associated with socio-political control, which takes place when people perceive control in their socio-political contexts. However, the process by which this relationship occurs remains an understudied area for migrants. This study aims to: (a) analyze the differences in socio-political control, critical thinking, and ethnic identity according to membership in migrant community-based organizations; and (b) propose a predictive model of socio-political control. A total of 239 first-generation migrants living in northern Italy completed a questionnaire (48.4% belonged to a migrant community-based organization). Members were found to have higher levels than nonmembers in all the variables. A moderated mediation model was proposed, whereby ethnic identity was a mediator between community participation and socio-political control, and critical thinking was a negative moderator between ethnic identity and socio-political control. Practical implications for enhancing socio-political control among migrants in receiving societies are discussed.

Sense of community affects community satisfaction: Mediating role of community participation.

Community satisfaction is a central component of community development because it indicates the overall contentment of residents with their community. As such, it can indicate the directions for community development. This study is aimed at examining a sense of community and community participation as factors influencing community satisfaction in the Yirgachefe district of Ethiopia. We collected data from 360 randomly selected household heads (male = 80.2%, female = 19.2%) residing in 12 rural communities. We used structural equation modeling to analyze the data. Results revealed that residents with a higher sense of community were more likely to have participated in their community and to be satisfied with their community. However, sense of community only indirectly influenced community satisfaction and had an insignificant direct effect on community satisfaction. There is a fully mediating effect of community participation between sense of community and community satisfaction. We propose policy implications based on the study.

Local Men Local Communities: A rural placed-based approach to increase men's engagement with mental health training and events.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15-49 (Department of Health and Aged Care Suicide in Australia, https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/mental-health-and-suicide-prevention/suicide-in-australia, 2021). With the loss of one community member impacting the individual's family, friends, and wider community. The aim of the article is to showcase a process evaluation of a place-based approach to suicide prevention, exploring the elements of mental health training and events that can be tailored to increase engagement with the men living in a rural Local Government Area in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. METHODS: Participation records and promotional material for the Local Men Local Communities project was utilised to explore similarities and differences between the training and events offered. RESULTS: Results indicated that men living in rural areas engaged best with events that included a social element such as food or an activity, highlighting that men may find it easier to talk and connect when they have something to do. CONCLUSION: Mental health training and events need to be tailored to meet the needs of the target population. Key details to consider include location, time, promotional material, content, and inclusion of a social element. SO WHAT?: When rural men were provided ownership of their conversations, they were more likely to have them. This challenges the stereotype that men do not talk and creates the opportunity for social connection within the community.

Harnessing the power of empathy, visual art and patient narratives to improve health literacy: An exploratory study.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Health-related information can often be overwhelming for consumers, frequently infused with complex medical terminology that is difficult to understand and apply. Historically empathic connection, art and narratives have played key roles in communicating with diverse populations however collectively have received little recognition as a modality to improve health literacy. This study aimed to investigate the empathetic connection between art and patient narratives with a view to improve health literacy in the wider community. METHODS: Nine recently discharged patients and one carer from a regional hospital were paired with 10 tertiary visual arts students for interview. Each narrative was transformed into visual art and exhibited at a community art gallery. The Empathy Quotient (EQ), Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and self-completed questionnaires assessed empathy and functional well-being. Health literacy was evaluated through community response surveys post-exhibition exposure. RESULTS: Student artist participants' EQ Cognitive Empathy (EQ-CE) scores were associated with 'Emotional Reactivity' (EQ-ER) (p = .038). SF-36 scores revealed that role limitations due to physical health and emotional problems had the greatest impact on patient/carer participant's life at the time. The SF-36 General Health domain was associated with the EQ-ER total score (p = .044). Exhibition surveys revealed that 96.9% of observers had learnt something new about illness or injury. SO WHAT?: Although a relatively small study, our findings suggest patient/carer narratives and visual art is a simple yet effective modality for health service organisations to facilitate affective learning and improve health literacy when engaging with consumers.

Psychological and social outcomes of befriending interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Befriending is an intervention intended to provide companionship and support to socially isolated populations. This review aimed to understand the key characteristics and psychological and social outcomes of befriending interventions for adults with intellectual disabilities. METHODS: Systematic searches of electronic databases (PsycINFO, MedLine and Web of Science) identified 11 studies for inclusion. A narrative synthesis of the findings was completed, along with critical appraisal of study quality. RESULTS: Increased community participation, positive changes to social networks and mood were frequently reported outcomes for befriendees. Increased knowledge, new experiences and opportunities to 'give back' were most reported for befrienders. CONCLUSIONS: The review highlighted that existing research in this field is limited in scope and methodologically diverse. Future research should focus upon the effectiveness and long-term impact of befriending interventions, understanding the mechanisms of change, and eliciting the views of people with intellectual disabilities on their experiences.

Understanding experiences of 'Gig Buddies': A befriending scheme for people with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Research into befriending for people with intellectual disabilities is limited. This study aimed to explore the impact, mechanisms of change, and limitations of a befriending scheme for adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism. METHODS: Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Thirteen individuals with intellectual disabilities and/or autism were interviewed and data thematically analysed. RESULTS: Four themes were generated: 'Something fun for me'; 'A good connection'; 'Increasing independence'; and 'A life less quiet'. Befriending had direct benefits through the activities undertaken and the befriending relationships themselves being fun and reducing isolation. Befriending facilitated belonging, improved access to mainstream activities, and fostered independence by providing safety and support. The importance of shared interests and external support for the relationship was highlighted. CONCLUSIONS: Positive outcomes of befriending were found, supporting existing literature and revealing new information from the voices of participants with intellectual disabilities themselves.

Using a community engaged research approach to develop the social skills training program for adults with Williams syndrome.

This article describes the development of a distance-delivered social skills training program for adults with Williams syndrome (SSTP-WS) through a community engaged approach. Throughout six phases of development, the research team received input from adults with Williams syndrome, caregivers, service providers, educators, and researchers on (a) the need for a training program and topics to be addressed (Phase 1), (b) an initial draft of the SSTP-WS (Phase 3), (c) the intervention pilot study (Phase 5), and (d) feedback to provide context for the results of the study (Phase 6). The development of the SSTP-WS resulted in an intervention aligned with the Williams syndrome community's values and needs that supports the unique cognitive and behavioral phenotypes and social characteristics of this low incidence disability population.

Enhancing Community Participation in Dengue Control Through Digital Crowdsourcing: An Analysis of a World Mosquito Program Digital Open Call in Sri Lanka.

BACKGROUND: Two crowdsourcing open calls were created to enhance community engagement in dengue control in Sri Lanka. We analyzed the process and outcomes of these digital crowdsourcing open calls. METHODS: We used standard World Health Organization methods to organize the open calls, which used exclusively digital methods because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We collected and analyzed sociodemographic information and digital engagement metrics from each submission. Submissions in the form of textual data describing community-led strategies for mosquito release were coded using grounded theory. RESULTS: The open calls received 73 submissions. Most people who submitted ideas spoke English, lived in Sri Lanka, and were 18 to 34 years old. The total Facebook reach was initially limited (16 161 impressions), prompting expansion to a global campaign, which reached 346 810 impressions over 14 days. Diverse strategies for the distribution of Wolbachia-infected mosquito boxes were identified, including leveraging traditional festivals, schools, and community networks. Fifteen submissions (21%) suggested the use of digital tools for monitoring and evaluation, sharing instructions, or creating networks. Thirteen submissions (18%) focused on social and economic incentives to prompt community engagement and catalyze community-led distribution. CONCLUSIONS: Our project demonstrates that digital crowdsourcing open calls are an effective way to solicit creative and innovative ideas in a resource-limited setting.