Frontiers in Public Health (Mar 2025)

Community engagement approaches and lessons learned: a case study of the PRECISE pregnancy cohort study in Kenya

  • Onesmus Wanje,
  • Angela Koech,
  • Angela Koech,
  • Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella,
  • Grace Mwashigadi,
  • Alice Kombo,
  • Grace Maitha,
  • Nathan Barreh,
  • Hiten D. Mistry,
  • Hiten D. Mistry,
  • Marianne Vidler,
  • Rachel Craik,
  • Marie-Laure Volvert,
  • Peter von Dadelszen,
  • Marleen Temmerman,
  • Marleen Temmerman,
  • Marleen Temmerman,
  • The PRECISE Network,
  • Laura A. Magee,
  • Joseph Akuze,
  • Abdoulie Bah,
  • Yorro Bah,
  • Mwanajuma Bakari,
  • Benjamin Barratt,
  • Christine Baya,
  • Kelvin Baya,
  • Hannah Blencowe,
  • Helena Boene,
  • Jeff Bone,
  • Carla Carrilho,
  • Judith Cartwright,
  • Rachel Craik,
  • Rachel Craik,
  • Umberto D’Alessandro,
  • Shilla Dama,
  • Brahima Diallo,
  • Modou F.S. Ndure,
  • Veronique Filippi,
  • Gibril Gabbidon,
  • Ursula Gazeley,
  • Lawrence Gibba,
  • Yahaya Idris,
  • Hawanatu Jah,
  • Consolata Juma,
  • Sharon Konde,
  • Fatoumata Kongira,
  • Sanjeev Krishna,
  • Joy Lawn,
  • Jing (Larry) Li,
  • Salesio Macuacua,
  • Sonia Maculuve,
  • Liberty Makacha,
  • Inacio Mandomando,
  • Melisa Martinez-Alvarez,
  • Thomas Mendy,
  • Hiten Mistry,
  • Reason Mlambo Lucilla Poston,
  • Sophie Moore,
  • Moses Mukhanya,
  • Peris Musitia,
  • Joseph Mutunga,
  • Emily Mwadime,
  • Isaac Mwaniki,
  • Baboucarr Njie,
  • Alison Noble,
  • Marvin Ochieng,
  • Patricia Okiro,
  • Geoffrey Omuse,
  • Aris Papageorghiou,
  • Kelly Pickerill,
  • Andrew Prentice,
  • Lazaro Quimice,
  • Anna Roca,
  • Donna Russell,
  • Tatiana Salisbury,
  • Ash Sandhu,
  • Abdul Sesay,
  • Esperança Sevene,
  • Matt Silver,
  • Sambou Suso,
  • Antony Tangai,
  • Prestige Tatenda Makanga,
  • Corssino Tchavana,
  • Fatima Touray,
  • Rachel Tribe,
  • Domena Tu,
  • Anifa Vala,
  • Marie-Laure Volvert,
  • Guy Whitley,
  • Irene Yaa

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1439150
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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Community engagement (CE) has been recommended as an important ethical consideration for health research to enhance informed consent and exchange knowledge between researchers and community members. The purpose of this paper is to describe how CE was developed and delivered for the PRECISE prospective pregnancy cohort study in Kenya. PRECISE enrolled pregnant women in antenatal care, followed them up to the postpartum period, and collected data and biological samples to enable the study of placental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. Initially CE was aimed at informing the community about the study, establishing community-wide acceptance of the research and addressing concerns about biological sample collection to facilitate participation in the study. CE later evolved to be a platform for mutual learning aiming to deepen the community’s understanding of research principles and informed consent and providing a feedback loop to researchers. We engaged diverse stakeholders including health workers and managers, local administrators, religious and traditional leaders, older women, pregnant women, non-pregnant women and men. We utilized a variety of CE approaches and tools adapting to the specific contextual factors at the study sites. Achievements included widespread understanding of informed consent and research principles, clarification of misconceptions, and dispelling of fears regarding biological sample collection. The relationship with the community was strengthened evidenced by frequent inquiries and active participation in CE activities and the research study. For effective CE, we recommend involvement of community members in the CE team and continuous and adaptive CE throughout the study period.

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