Co-production of informal settlement health: a community based participatory research program for building healthy communities in urban informal settlements of Salvador, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction More than 15% of Brazil's urban population lives in slums characterized by limited access to essential urban services, heightened vulnerability to infectious pathogens and environmental hazards, and deprivation of citizenship rights. These conditions exacerbate social inequality, perpetuate cycles of poverty, and fuel violence, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable interventions.Methods Following a social justice framework, we developed a community development program rooted in participatory research methods and popular health education to foster collaboration between university researchers and communities. The aim was to identify priorities and co-create locally driven, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions. This article describes our ongoing project in three prominent urban slums of Salvador, Brazil (Alto do Cabrito, Pau da Lima and Marechal Rondon), detailing the methodologies employed, activities initiated, and interventions developed.Results We conducted ethnographic, eco-epidemiological, and collaborative mapping surveys to contextualize diverse health and well-being challenges. Furthermore, we organized consultative and socialization events with dynamic community groups and identified local priorities, leading to the design of thirteen interventions targeting citizenship rights, social cohesion, environmental restoration, waste management, and unemployment.Discussion Here, we described how our interdisciplinary approach leveraged social capital and fostered inter-sectoral partnerships to empower marginalized urban communities towards addressing their health and environmental challenges through sustainable, locally tailored solutions. While the program has strengthened community trust, facilitated partnerships, and achieved notable environmental improvements, further evaluation is needed to assess the long-term impacts of these interventions on broader social health determinants.

Keywords

Brazil; community-based participatory action research; health inequities; health justice; Popular Health Education; urban slums

Published in

Frontiers in Public Health
2026, volume: 14, article number: 1754353
Publisher: FRONTIERS MEDIA SA

SLU Authors

• Khalil, Hussein

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Studies in Social Sciences
Sociology (excluding Social work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1754353

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/146704