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An Innovative Science Communication Model for the Prevention and Control of Foodborne Poisonous Mushroom Poisoning in Ethnic Minority Areas: The 'Farewell to Mushroom Poisoning, Happiness for Every Household' Project in Pengshui, Chongqing

Author(s)

Hu Xin

Affiliation(s)

Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County People’s Hospital, Chongqing, China

Abstract

Accidental poisoning by wild poisonous mushrooms remains a conspicuous public health problem in mountainous and rural regions across the world. In the ethnic minority communities of the Wuling mountainous area in southwest China, long-standing mushroom-gathering customs, language and cultural barriers, and difficult terrain leave conventional health communication materials poorly matched to local needs and limited in effectiveness. This paper draws on the 'Farewell to Mushroom Poisoning, Happiness for Every Household' science communication project conducted in Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing, and presents a dual-track intervention that combines technology-enabled communication with cultural immersion. Artificial-intelligence image recognition and three-dimensional molecular visualization are used to make the content accurate and readily perceptible, while Miao and Tujia cultural elements are woven into bilingual communication, folk-art adaptation and a village-elder endorsement mechanism so that health knowledge fits local culture and reaches residents effectively. Scenario-based interventions are tailored to five audience groups, and all materials are re-engineered for the 2G-network conditions found at the grassroots level. The project is expected to raise the one-month retention of key first-aid knowledge to 75% among the target population and to reduce poisoning incidents markedly. The model offers a replicable practical template for foodborne-disease communication in ethnic minority areas and adds empirical evidence to the study of cross-cultural health communication.

Keywords

Poisonous Mushroom Poisoning; Science Communication; Ethnic Minority Areas; Cultural Adaptation; Health Communication

References

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