Community Engagement to Tackle Infectious Threats in Bangladesh, Uganda and Ukraine - A Research in Progress on a Social Science Mapping Process

Abstract

Background: Successful epidemic preparedness and response require an understanding of social behaviour: social values, priorities and practices fundamentally shape human engagements with measures to prepare for and to prevent epidemics and antimicrobial resistance. Because of its capacity to document and evaluate health-seeking behaviors, local understandings of disease and explanations of transmission, and local reactions to public health interventions, social science, in particular anthropological research is well positioned to facilitate insight into these priorities and practices.Method: The SoNAR-Global project (A Social Science Network for Infectious Threats and Antimicrobial Resistance) undertook a mapping and assessment of existing Community Engagement (CE) models that target infectious threats and/or antimicrobial resistance (AMR) Bangladesh, Uganda and Ukraine, which are integrated in the project through partner universities. We compared our findings with the UNICEF Communication for Development (C4D) Minimum Quality Standards for Community Engagement. Conclusions: On these grounds, we emphasize six critical elements for Community Engagement before and during epidemics. We argue that CE efforts must cooperate and dialogue with people in need and negotiate integrated, localized public health models that improve their lives before and during an epidemic.Results: We identified and recommend currently available social science tools for Community Engagement, which correspond to the six critical elements and can contribute to enhance preparedness and response activities to infectious threats.