RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Co-creating an arts-based eye health education strategy in Zanzibar: process, outcomes and lessons learnt
JF BMJ Global Health
JO BMJ Global Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e009317
DO 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009317
VO 7
IS 9
A1 Ving Fai Chan
A1 Dina Belluigi
A1 Ai Chee Yong
A1 Damaris Mulewa
A1 Pirindhavellie Poonsamy-Govender
A1 Christine Graham
A1 Eden Mashayo
A1 Ronnie Graham
A1 Carlos Price-Sanchez
A1 Fatma Omar
YR 2022
UL http://gh.bmj.com/content/7/9/e009317.abstract
AB Introduction Published examples of health programme co-creation are scarce and we found none in the field of eye care. We described the outcomes and lessons learnt from the ZANZIbar Arts for Children’s Eyesight (ZANZI-ACE) eye health programme co-creation process.Methods We used a 2.5-day stakeholder workshop (number of participants=34) to develop the ZANZI-ACE intervention, which aimed to use music performances in eye health education to improve child eye health service uptake in Zanzibar. A Zanzibar-wide music competition was then launched to encourage local participation, followed by a judging session to select three pieces as the ZANZI-ACE eye health programme intervention materials.Results The barriers to the improved uptake of child eye health services raised by the participants were mainly cultural and social. Sensitising parents, teachers, children and community members with proper eye health knowledge was the key to addressing these barriers. The goal of sensitisation is to improve children’s vision so that they can achieve their fullest potential. Music and song ranked highest among the proposed art forms, so three music pieces were chosen as the ZANZI-ACE eye health programme intervention materials. A detailed ZANZI-ACE implementation strategy, a theory of change and key performance outcomes indicators were developed.Conclusion The co-creation process and outcomes of the ZANZI-ACE eye health programme show that engaging a diverse group of stakeholders is critical to developing locally relevant health programmes. The lessons learnt from the process will prove useful to researchers who aspire to design innovative health programmes.Data are available in a public, open access repository. Data are available at https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/334460037/Workshop_notes_for_Zanzibar_Arts_for_Child_Eyesight_2_.xlsx.