Navigating the challenges of Air Quality and Health Research in Malaysia: Lessons Learned

Aim: Collaboration is essential in healthcare research. We aim to share our experience of bringing together diverse organisations focused on air pollution and digital health, with the goal of developing innovative strategies that improve asthma control and health outcomes. Outline of context: We aim to develop an air quality forecasting system that will alert patients with asthma to take timely preventative actions. We propose to incorporate an Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling System (ADMS)-Urban, a street-scale resolution model within an operational system to generate a 2-day advance forecast accessible through a mobile app. Our collaborators include academic institutions, governmental and international agencies, app developers, and patients’ groups. Brief description of the challenges: During the collaborative process, we encountered multifaceted challenges that could influence the quality of the forecast generated by the system, the reliability of the mobile app, and the research timelines. The main challenges are: 1. Restricted and delayed access to air quality measurement data owned by the governmental agencies 2. Lack of clarity on data sharing policy between academic, non-academic, and international bodies with the government agencies 3. Finding a reliable and skilled app developer team 4. Balancing patients' group wish lists with practical implementation Strategy for change: Enhancing data governance and policies within each organization would help tackle these challenges. Establishing a strong partnership with all potential stakeholders, from the beginning of research, even before the proposal stage, is important for ensuring mutual understanding and commitment throughout the study. Regular communication and meetings among researchers, app developers, and patient groups are essential to align the aim of the app and their expectations. Lesson learned: Integrating data across diverse research environments presents a substantial challenge in multi-sectoral collaborative research. Fostering respectful and healthy research collaboration is essential for achieving successful outcomes.