This project is based at UM in Malaysia. Overview Project title: Development and evaluation of mobile phone based early warning systems at a personal-level intervention for CRD patients in Malaysia Programme: Preventable Risk Factors Based at: Universiti Malaya in Malaysia Start date: End date: Principal investigator: Project team: Jayakayatri Jeevajothi Nathan, Ee Ming Khoo, Norita Hussein, Fong Chng Saun, Wee Cheah, Beh Hooi Chin, Ng Wei Leik, Genevie Fernandes, Hilary Pinnock Background Outdoor and indoor air pollution is estimated to result in 7 million premature deaths annually, and causes chronic respiratory disease (CRD) such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This health burden is disproportionally borne by people living in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), where shared causes, characteristics, and trans-boundary effects have been observed. Our research into air quality as a preventable risk factor in Malaysia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka aims to develop a consistent exploration of synergetic interventions to mitigate it impact of poor air quality, using the "ecosystems-enriched Drivers, Pressures, State, Exposure, Effects, Actions (eDPSEEA)" conceptual model as a framework for exploring interventions at individual, community, regional and policy levels for common environmental risk factors. This project, based in Malaysia, will focus on reducing asthma induced by haze, through a feasibility study using a randomised controlled trial. Aim and Impact This project aims to reduce haze induced asthma events in the densely populated Klang district of Malaysia, using a mobile phone app (with high-resolution air quality forecasting) as an early warning system for people with asthma. 60 participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group (using the app) or control group (usual asthma care), and invited to a 20-person focus group after 12 months of the study to explore acceptability, usability and feasibility of the intervention. Both this project and the air quality study taking place in Pakistan will enable the development of effective mHealth apps used to raise awareness of, and modify the risk of exposure to local sources of poor air quality. Knowledge sharing from these projects could facilitate the development of interventions with this eDPSEEA approach in in other countries. Related Links Learn about the complementary study, Air Quality: Pollen, based in Pakistan. This article was published on 2024-09-24
