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. 2008 May 20:8:168.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-8-168.

Public engagement on global health challenges

Emma R M Cohen  1 , Hassan Masum, Kathryn Berndtson, Vicki Saunders, Tom Hadfield, Dilzayn Panjwani, Deepa L Persad, Gunjeet S Minhas, Abdallah S Daar, Jerome A Singh, Peter A Singer
Affiliations

Public engagement on global health challenges

Emma R M Cohen et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Experience with public engagement activities regarding the risks and benefits of science and technology (S&T) is growing, especially in the industrialized world. However, public engagement in the developing world regarding S&T risks and benefits to explore health issues has not been widely explored.

Methods: This paper gives an overview about public engagement and related concepts, with a particular focus on challenges and benefits in the developing world. We then describe an Internet-based platform, which seeks to both inform and engage youth and the broader public on global water issues and their health impacts. Finally, we outline a possible course for future action to scale up this and similar online public engagement platforms.

Results: The benefits of public engagement include creating an informed citizenry, generating new ideas from the public, increasing the chances of research being adopted, increasing public trust, and answering ethical research questions. Public engagement also fosters global communication, enables shared experiences and methodology, standardizes strategy, and generates global viewpoints. This is especially pertinent to the developing world, as it encourages previously marginalized populations to participate on a global stage. One of the core issues at stake in public engagement is global governance of science and technology. Also, beyond benefiting society at large, public engagement in science offers benefits to the scientific enterprise itself.

Conclusion: Successful public engagement with developing world stakeholders will be a critical part of implementing new services and technologies. Interactive engagement platforms, such as the Internet, have the potential to unite people globally around relevant health issues.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
– WaterEngage 3.0 Homepage. WaterEngage is an Internet-based global demonstration project on public engagement.
Figure 2
Figure 2
– A student animation describes the socioeconomic impacts of arsenic contamination in Bangladesh.
Figure 3
Figure 3
– WaterEngage Homepage Version 1.0. Video interviews and online mapping tools.
Figure 4
Figure 4
– A video of the interaction between classrooms in San Jose, California, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, in which students have already begun to learn each other's names.
Figure 5
Figure 5
– A video of the interaction between classrooms in San Jose, California, and Dhaka, Bangladesh, in which students have already begun to learn each other's names.
Figure 6
Figure 6
– Videos explaining the newest technologies in water purification and phytoremediation.
Figure 7
Figure 7
– Videos explaining the newest technologies in water purification and phytoremediation.
Figure 8
Figure 8
– An animation created by high school students demonstrating phytoremediation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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