Evaluating Rural Ethiopian Youths’ Willingness and Competency to Promote Literacy Regarding G × E Influences on Podoconiosis

Abstract

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Engaging youth as peer educators has yet to be considered to promote literacy concerning conjoint genetic and environmental (G × E) influences on health conditions. Whether youth living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could and would be willing to serve as lay educators of G × E education is unclear. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A cross-sectional survey of youth living in Southern Ethiopia was conducted from August to September 2017. Trained data collectors administered the survey on 377 randomly selected youth who ranged in age from 15 to 24; 52% were female and 95% reported having some formal education. Self-reported willingness and a constructed competency score were assessed. Bivariate analyses tested for factors associated with willingness and competency to serve as lay G × E literacy builders. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Competency and willingness were significantly greater (<i>p</i> < 0.05) for youth who were male, had some formal education, and had civic or leadership experience. Differences in median willingness were significant for youth who scored as more competent versus those who scored as less competent (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There were no characteristics that moderated the association of competency with willingness. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Youth peer educator programs hold promise for disseminating improved G Χ E literacy and reducing stigma associated with deterministic misunderstandings. Thoughtful recruitment and training strategies will be needed to ensure that the broadest representation of youth in LMIC contexts has the opportunity to serve in this role, particularly girls and those without formal education.

The causal arrows ̶ from genotype, environment and management to plant phenotype ̶ are double headed

“…The causal arrow from phenotype to agronomic management: farmer's phenotype Phenotypic models accounting for genetic factors, environment and their interaction have been advanced for applications in human health, cognitive aptitude, ideology, and political attitudes (Ayode et al, 2023;Harden et al, 2007;McHale et al, 2018;Molenaar et al, 2013;Smith et al, 2011). The environment influencing the farmer's phenotype (Box 1) includes the technological, economic and legal systems, which are unprestatable (Kauffman, 2008(Kauffman, , 2016, and a strong biophysical component; Ballard (1962Ballard ( , 1965 vividly connects individual and social sense of self with the landscape transformed by climate change.…”