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Poster Session

Poster Session

Poster Session

P24 - Community Engagement as part of the Integrated Vector Management: Lessons from Bayamón, Puerto Rico

Wednesday, March 25, 2026
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM PDT
Location: Hall A
Abstract: Bayamón, Puerto Rico, the second most populated municipality located west of San Juan, has reported high dengue incidence in previous epidemics. Between January 2024 and September 2025, the Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit (PRVCU) implemented an Integrated Vector Management Program in Bayamón, targeting public housing complexes (PHC), schools, and general housing (GH). Recognizing that sustainable vector control requires community participation, PRVCU developed a Community Engagement (CE) component focused on fostering trust, collaboration, and local ownership. The CE component had two objectives: gather community input and integrate it into program planning and sustainability and promote community participation in dengue prevention and vector control activities. Five strategies were implemented: listening sessions (LS), Community Advisory Committee (CAC), Train-the-Trainer (TtT) for teachers, community-based source reduction activities, and outreach/educational activities. Fourteen LS were conducted in schools and PHCs with 83 adult participants, whose guide project adaptation. Through the CAC, 86 organizations were contacted; 25 collaborated at various levels, and 10 members from 6 organizations participated intermittently, including Bayamón Rotary Club and Scouting America. In the PHC component, 86 activities reached 781 people. In schools, 254 educational activities reached 5,649 participants, showing significant improvements in post-tests at the elementary, middle, and high school levels (median paired=0.240; Wilcoxon signed-rank, p< 0.001). A total of 64 teachers completed TtT, with a significant gain in knowledge (median paired= 0.143; Wilcoxon signed-rank, p< 0.001). In GH, 79 activities reached 1,164 people, showing a significant improvement (median paired=0.143; Wilcoxon signed-rank, p< 0.001). Additionally, 833 community surveys on passive emanator acceptance showed 76% approval. Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) surveys in two clusters indicated that over 90% of respondents recognized that dengue is transmitted through mosquito bites and identified fever as a symptom. The CE component strengthened community connections, promoted cross-sector collaborations, and encouraged participation across different age groups within the program.