Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic

Plasmodium knowlesi malaria is a zoonotic infection that affects rural communities in South East Asia. Although the epidemiology of the disease has been extensively researched, the voices of individuals within affected communities often go unheard. Here, we describe a study that explores the importa...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nurul Athirah Naserrudin, Richard Culleton, Pauline Yong Pau Lin, Sara Elizabeth Baumann, Rozita Hod, Mohammad Saffree Jeffree, Kamruddin Ahmed, Mohd Rohaizat Hassan
Format: Article
Language:English
English
Published: MDPI 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37966/1/ABSTRACT.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37966/2/FULLTEXT.pdf
_version_ 1796912000552402944
author Nurul Athirah Naserrudin
Richard Culleton
Pauline Yong Pau Lin
Sara Elizabeth Baumann
Rozita Hod
Mohammad Saffree Jeffree
Kamruddin Ahmed
Mohd Rohaizat Hassan
author_facet Nurul Athirah Naserrudin
Richard Culleton
Pauline Yong Pau Lin
Sara Elizabeth Baumann
Rozita Hod
Mohammad Saffree Jeffree
Kamruddin Ahmed
Mohd Rohaizat Hassan
author_sort Nurul Athirah Naserrudin
collection UMS
description Plasmodium knowlesi malaria is a zoonotic infection that affects rural communities in South East Asia. Although the epidemiology of the disease has been extensively researched, the voices of individuals within affected communities often go unheard. Here, we describe a study that explores the importance of gatekeepers in conducting research among rural communities, their perspectives on the challenges encountered when attempting to avoid malaria infection, and their views on participatory research. Methods: Between 1 November 2021 and 28 February 2022, we conducted a study in Kudat district, Sabah, using a multi-method design. All participants consented to the study, which included health care workers (HCWs) (n = 5), community leaders (n = 8), and faith leaders (n = 1). We conducted interviews, transect walks, and observations with gatekeepers to ensure data trustworthiness. All interviews were conducted in the Sabah Malay dialect. The sessions were audio- and video-recorded, transcribed into English and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Between 2017 and 2021, the number of cases of P. knowlesi malaria detected in humans ranged from 35 to 87 in villages under the care of the Lotong primary health care clinic. The challenges in controlling malaria include social norms, lifestyles, socioeconomic factors, environmental factors, and limitations of basic resources. Critical discussions regarding participation with the gatekeepers identified that face-to-face interviews were preferable to online discussions, and influenced willingness to participate in future research. Conclusion: This study was conducted among village gatekeepers during the COVID-19 pandemic and generated information to drive methodological changes, opening up new ideas by sharing perspectives on challenges in P. knowlesi malaria control among vulnerable communities. The study generated trust in the community and expanded knowledge regarding participation that is critical for future community-based studies.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T03:27:03Z
format Article
id ums.eprints-37966
institution Universiti Malaysia Sabah
language English
English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T03:27:03Z
publishDate 2022
publisher MDPI
record_format dspace
spelling ums.eprints-379662024-01-12T01:59:18Z https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37966/ Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic Nurul Athirah Naserrudin Richard Culleton Pauline Yong Pau Lin Sara Elizabeth Baumann Rozita Hod Mohammad Saffree Jeffree Kamruddin Ahmed Mohd Rohaizat Hassan RC109-216 Infectious and parasitic diseases Plasmodium knowlesi malaria is a zoonotic infection that affects rural communities in South East Asia. Although the epidemiology of the disease has been extensively researched, the voices of individuals within affected communities often go unheard. Here, we describe a study that explores the importance of gatekeepers in conducting research among rural communities, their perspectives on the challenges encountered when attempting to avoid malaria infection, and their views on participatory research. Methods: Between 1 November 2021 and 28 February 2022, we conducted a study in Kudat district, Sabah, using a multi-method design. All participants consented to the study, which included health care workers (HCWs) (n = 5), community leaders (n = 8), and faith leaders (n = 1). We conducted interviews, transect walks, and observations with gatekeepers to ensure data trustworthiness. All interviews were conducted in the Sabah Malay dialect. The sessions were audio- and video-recorded, transcribed into English and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Between 2017 and 2021, the number of cases of P. knowlesi malaria detected in humans ranged from 35 to 87 in villages under the care of the Lotong primary health care clinic. The challenges in controlling malaria include social norms, lifestyles, socioeconomic factors, environmental factors, and limitations of basic resources. Critical discussions regarding participation with the gatekeepers identified that face-to-face interviews were preferable to online discussions, and influenced willingness to participate in future research. Conclusion: This study was conducted among village gatekeepers during the COVID-19 pandemic and generated information to drive methodological changes, opening up new ideas by sharing perspectives on challenges in P. knowlesi malaria control among vulnerable communities. The study generated trust in the community and expanded knowledge regarding participation that is critical for future community-based studies. MDPI 2022-11-26 Article NonPeerReviewed text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37966/1/ABSTRACT.pdf text en https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37966/2/FULLTEXT.pdf Nurul Athirah Naserrudin and Richard Culleton and Pauline Yong Pau Lin and Sara Elizabeth Baumann and Rozita Hod and Mohammad Saffree Jeffree and Kamruddin Ahmed and Mohd Rohaizat Hassan (2022) Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (15764). pp. 1-19. ISSN 1660-4601 https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315764
spellingShingle RC109-216 Infectious and parasitic diseases
Nurul Athirah Naserrudin
Richard Culleton
Pauline Yong Pau Lin
Sara Elizabeth Baumann
Rozita Hod
Mohammad Saffree Jeffree
Kamruddin Ahmed
Mohd Rohaizat Hassan
Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic
title Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic
title_full Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic
title_fullStr Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic
title_short Generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria: A study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid-19 pandemic
title_sort generating trust in participatory research on plasmodium knowlesi malaria a study with rural community gatekeepers during the covid 19 pandemic
topic RC109-216 Infectious and parasitic diseases
url https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37966/1/ABSTRACT.pdf
https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37966/2/FULLTEXT.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT nurulathirahnaserrudin generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic
AT richardculleton generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic
AT paulineyongpaulin generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic
AT saraelizabethbaumann generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic
AT rozitahod generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic
AT mohammadsaffreejeffree generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic
AT kamruddinahmed generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic
AT mohdrohaizathassan generatingtrustinparticipatoryresearchonplasmodiumknowlesimalariaastudywithruralcommunitygatekeepersduringthecovid19pandemic