A systematic review published in August in the journal Frontiers in Public Health finds that citizen science can help monitor many health and well‑being targets in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO Triple Billion Targets. The authors are from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and WHO.
The review says citizen science can add to traditional data for many health indicators and has most potential in environment, health and well‑being. Examples include people sharing observations of plants and animals, collecting plastic from rivers, and measuring water or air quality.
The study notes gaps in official data. It gives a practical case: Ghana used citizen science data on marine plastic litter in its SDG reporting. The authors also mention challenges such as recruiting volunteers and data quality.
Difficult words
- citizen science — Research work where the public helps collect data.
- monitor — Watch or check something over time.
- indicator — Information that shows a condition or trend.indicators
- environment — The natural world around people and animals.
- gap — A missing part or lack of necessary information.gaps
- volunteer — A person who offers help without pay.volunteers
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Would you take part in a citizen science project? Why or why not?
- Which activity from the article would you be willing to do (for example, collecting plastic or measuring water)?
- Why are gaps in official data a problem for health or environment work?
