eprintid: 10124527 rev_number: 18 eprint_status: archive userid: 608 dir: disk0/10/12/45/27 datestamp: 2021-03-22 12:02:37 lastmod: 2021-11-30 23:06:15 status_changed: 2021-03-22 12:02:37 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Morrison, J creators_name: Arjyal, A title: A funfair without the candy floss: engaging communities to prevent diabetes in Nepal ispublished: pub divisions: UCL divisions: B02 divisions: D01 keywords: Art, Community engagement, Non-communicable diseases, Participatory action research, Type 2 diabetes note: © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). abstract: OBJECTIVES: The World Health Organization estimates that 422 million people have diabetes, three-quarters of whom live in low- and middle-income countries. Global action plans to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) recognise the centrality of community engagement to create an enabling environment within which to address risk factors. STUDY DESIGN: In this article, we describe and critically reflect on a cocreated community engagement approach to address type 2 diabetes in the southern plains of Nepal. We coproduced the engagement approach with 40 artists from the Janakpur Women's Development Centre to create an environment for dialogue about diabetes and NCD risk between artists and the general public. METHODS: We used participatory action research to produce contextually relevant interactive methods and materials. Methods included artists' peer research to inform creative workshops, a drama performed in 19 villages and a two-day funfair in a public park. We used qualitative and participatory methods to analyse the effect of this engagement and reflect on lessons learned. RESULTS: Around 2000 people saw the drama, and around 4000 people attended the funfair. Community dialogue about prevention of diabetes was facilitated by drama and through games and songs at the funfair. Artists grew confident to interact with their peers and drama audiences about the causes of diabetes and prevention strategies. Despite crowds at the funfair, it was difficult to reach women because the venue was often used by men and boys, and patriarchal norms prevent women from free movement. Village interactions were able to engage a more mixed audience. CONCLUSION: Innovative, asset-based community engagement about diabetes and other NCDs at scale is possible through locating, building on and strengthening community resources to address local health issues. Engagement could be enhanced by considering the gendered nature of community engagement spaces and by increasing opportunities for interaction between artists and the general public through more intimate and large-scale events. date: 2021-04 date_type: published official_url: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2021.01.012 oa_status: green full_text_type: pub language: eng primo: open primo_central: open_green verified: verified_manual elements_id: 1853994 doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2021.01.012 pii: S0033-3506(21)00033-0 lyricists_name: Morrison, Joanna lyricists_id: JMORR15 actors_name: Morrison, Joanna actors_id: JMORR15 actors_role: owner full_text_status: public publication: Public Health volume: 193 pagerange: 23-25 event_location: Netherlands citation: Morrison, J; Arjyal, A; (2021) A funfair without the candy floss: engaging communities to prevent diabetes in Nepal. Public Health , 193 pp. 23-25. 10.1016/j.puhe.2021.01.012 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2021.01.012>. Green open access document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10124527/1/Morrison%20Mela%20PH%202021.pdf