Archive | 2021
Using Geospatial Intelligence to Promote Precautionary Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Development and Validation of a Customized Messaging Campaign in Saudi Arabia
Abstract
\n BackgroundDesigning a health promotion campaign is never an easy task, especially during a pandemic of a highly infectious disease such as COVID-19. In Saudi Arabia, many attempts have been made to raise public awareness about COVID-19 infection and precautionary health measures. However, most of the health information delivered through the national dashboard and the COVID-19 awareness campaigns are generic and do not necessarily make the impact needed to be seen on individuals’ behavior. ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to build and validate a customized messaging campaign to promote precautionary health behavior in individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Customization is realized by utilizing a geospatial artificial intelligence technique called the space-time cube (STC) technique. MethodsThis research was conducted in two sequential phases. In phase 1, an initial library of 32 messages was developed and validated based on Fogg behavior model for behavior change. In phase 2, we applied STC as a geospatial artificial intelligence technique to create a local map for one city with three different profiles representing the city districts. The model was built using COVID-19 real clinical data. The messages created in phase 1 is to be customized for residents in each city profile separately. Resultsn phase 1, 32 messages were developed based on resources from the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. The enumerated content validity of the messages was established through the utilization of the content validity index (CVI). Thirteen professional health care workers (n=13) evaluated the content of the message libraries in Arabic and English. Thirty-two messages were found to have acceptable content validity (I-CVI=0.87). In phase 2, the geospatial intelligence technique we applied showed three zones for the districts of Jeddah city: one for high infection, another for moderate infection, and the third for low infection. Combining the results from the first and second phases, a customized awareness campaign was shaped for the city of Jeddah. ConclusionsThis awareness campaign can be utilized by health authorities to raise individuals awareness about the precautionary measures that should be taken based on the infection level of their district, and hence help in reducing the number of positive cases in the city of Jeddah.