Implementing a context-driven awareness programme addressing household air pollution and tobacco: a FRESH AIR study

Most patients with chronic respiratory disease live in low-resource settings, where evidence is scarcest. In Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, we studied the implementation of a Ugandan programme empowering communities to take action against biomass and tobacco smoke. Together with local stakeholders, we co-created a train-the-trainer implementation design and integrated the programme into existing local health infrastructures. Feasibility and acceptability, evaluated by the modified Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity, were high: we reached ~15,000 Kyrgyz and ~10,000 Vietnamese citizens within budget (~€11,000/country). The right engaged stakeholders, high compatibility with local contexts and flexibility facilitated programme success. Scores on lung health awareness questionnaires increased significantly to an excellent level among all target groups. Behaviour change was moderately successful in Vietnam and highly successful in Kyrgyzstan. We conclude that contextualising the awareness programme to diverse low-resource settings can be feasible, acceptable and effective, and increase its sustainability. This paper provides guidance to translate lung health interventions to new contexts globally.

Evelyn A. Brakema, Frederik A. van Gemert, Sian Williams, Talant Sooronbaev, Berik Emilov, Maamed Mademilov, Aizhamal Tabyshova, Pham Le An, Nguyen Nhat Quynh, Le Huynh Thi Cam Hong, Tran Ngoc Dang, Rianne M. J. J. van der Kleij, Niels H. Chavannes, Corina de Jong