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What do people benefit from a citizen science programme? Evidence from a Rwandan citizen science programme on malaria
Domina Asingizwe1,2, P Marijn Poortvliet3, Arnold J H van Vliet4
1College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda. adomina23@gmail.com.
Malaria Journal
|August 9, 2020
Summary
Rwanda
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Environmental Science
- Community Engagement
Background:
- Malaria control remains a global health challenge, particularly in endemic regions.
- Rwanda implemented a citizen science program involving citizens in mosquito data collection and nuisance reporting to enhance malaria control efforts.
- This study evaluated the benefits and impact of this citizen science initiative on community perceptions and behaviors regarding malaria control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the benefits derived by citizens participating in a malaria-focused citizen science program.
- To analyze how the citizen science program influenced community perceptions and behaviors related to malaria control.
- To understand the diffusion of malaria control information within the community through the program.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach was utilized, incorporating dissemination workshops, village meetings, and surveys.
- Dissemination workshops and village meetings engaged 112 citizen science volunteers to explore program benefits and information-sharing strategies.
- A survey of 328 individuals (110 volunteers, 218 non-volunteers) compared malaria-related perceptions and behaviors between 2017 and 2019, and between volunteers and non-volunteers.
Main Results:
- Malaria-related perceptions and behaviors significantly improved in favor of control between 2017 and 2019.
- Volunteers demonstrated higher social interaction, community participation in malaria activities, and acceptance of indoor residual spraying (IRS).
- Both volunteers and non-volunteers reported increased knowledge and skills in malaria control measures, with volunteers showing specific gains in mosquito species identification.
Conclusions:
- The citizen science program effectively diffused malaria control information, leading to knowledge and skill acquisition among non-volunteers.
- The program demonstrated potential for delivering both individual and collective benefits to volunteers and the wider community.
- Citizen science initiatives can be a valuable tool for enhancing public health interventions and community engagement in malaria control.
