Tania C Araujo-Jorge1, Roberto R Ferreira1,2, Rita C M Rocha1, Thallyta M Vieira3, Nancy D Costa4, Luzia L Santos4, Josefa O Silva4, Marcelo O Mendes1, Juliana A Silva1, Erik J Costa1, Rodrigo Mexas5, Jonathan G Oliveira6, Ana M Suarez-Fontes1, Teresa C M Gonçalves7, Catarina M Lopes7, Marcio L Mello1, Cristina X A Borges1, Luciana R Garzoni1,8, Daniel Gibaldi9, Joseli Lannes-Vieira9, Marcos A Vannier-Santos1. 1. Laboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (LITEB-IOC/Fiocruz), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro Brazil. 2. Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (LAGFB-IOC/Fiocruz), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 3. Center for Biological and Health Science, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 4. Rio Chagas Association, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 5. Institute for Science and Technology Information, (ICICT/Fiocruz), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 6. Laboratory of Biology and Parasitology of Wild Reservoir Mammals, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (LABPMR-IOC/Fiocruz), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 7. Interdisciplinary Laboratory in Entomological surveillance in Diptera and Hemiptera, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (LIVEDIH-IOC/Fiocruz), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 8. Vice-Presidency of Environment, Healthcare and Health Promotion (VPAAPS/Fiocruz), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 9. Laboratory of Biology of the Interactions, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (LBI-IOC/Fiocruz), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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.
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 infectedpeople 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.
Authors: Tania C Araujo-Jorge; Maria Teresa Rivera; Jean Vanderpas; Luciana R Garzoni; Anna Cristina C Carvalho; Mariana C Waghabi; Marcelo T Holanda; Mauro F F Mediano; Alejandro M Hasslocher-Moreno; Maria da Gloria Bonecini-Almeida; Roberto M Saraiva; Roberto R Ferreira Journal: Biomolecules Date: 2022-02-23