Design of an Implementation Research Study for a Digital Omnichannel Community Engagement and Risk Communication Intervention for the Prevention and Control of Vector-Borne Diseases in India: The OMNIVEC-India study protocol

Rashmi Rodrigues^1*Amey Dhatrak²Madhusmita Bal³Melari Shisha Nongrum⁴NEERAJ KUMAR⁵Rajiv Sarkar⁴Twinkle Agrawal¹Anuj Mundra²Ira Praharaj³Jyothi Singh⁵Mrunali Zode⁶Sudipto Roy⁶Vani Kandpal⁶Tanica Lyngdoh^6*OMNIVEC-India Study Team⁷

• ¹St John's Medical College, Bengaluru, India
• ²Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, India
• ³ICMR - Regional Medical Research Centre Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar, India
• ⁴Indian Institute of Public Health Shillong, Shillong, India
• ⁵ICMR-National Institute of Child Health & Development and ICMR-Centre for Cancer Pathology, New Delhi, India
• ⁶Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India
• ⁷Omnivec-India Collaboration, Delhi, India

Introduction: Vector-borne diseases (VBD), such as malaria, dengue, and lymphatic filariasis, pose significant public health challenges in India, contributing significantly to the nation's morbidity and mortality. In this scenario, digital technology promises scalable, contextual, and user-centric interventions for behaviour change. However, systematic and comprehensive community-based digital approaches for VBD prevention in India are limited. This study, therefore, aims to co-design a digital omnichannel Community Engagement and Risk Communication (CERC) intervention for VBDs with the community and health system and pilot the intervention for acceptability and effectiveness Methods and Analysis: This mixed-methods implementation research will be conducted across five Indian states, i.e., Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, and Meghalaya, over two years. The initial Formative Phase will involve quantitative surveys to assess community knowledge, attitudes, practices, digital media access, and perceptions of vector-borne disease risk. Qualitative studies will include participatory appraisals, stakeholder mapping, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. Additionally, a review of existing global community engagement and risk communication models is planned. Organisational readiness for digital CERC among public health stakeholders will also be evaluated. The subsequent Development Phase will focus on the collaborative creation and early implementation of a context-specific digital intervention delivered through multiple channels, guided by the EPIS framework. The implementation outcomes will include the intervention's acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, and early adoption. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, along with internet metrics, including calls to action (CTA), will support evaluation. Impact: A co-designed VBD-CERC strategy that ensures community/user-centricity is likely acceptable and sustainable within local communities. Such a strategy is also likely to bring about the desired public health outcomes. While our intervention primarily targets VBDs, it also has potential applications in other diseases, both in India and globally.