Community-Driven Digital Health Interventions to Improve Early Detection of Communicable Diseases in Urban Slums: A Mixed-Methods Study in Chennai-Based Municipalities, India

Abstract Urban slums in low- and middle-income countries face disproportionate burdens of communicable diseases due to overcrowding, inadequate sanitation, and limited access to healthcare. This mixed-methods study examines the effectiveness of community-driven digital health interventions designed to enhance early detection and reporting of communicable diseases across selected urban slum clusters within Chennai, India. Integrating digital symptom reporting tools, community health volunteers, and tailored health education, the study evaluates quantitative changes in disease detection rates and explores qualitative experiences of community engagement. Results demonstrate statistically significant improvements in early detection and community health-seeking behavior, alongside enhanced digital health literacy. The findings underline the potential of localized digital solutions co-designed with community stakeholders to address public health gaps in rapidly urbanizing environments. Keywords: Community-driven digital health, Early disease detection, Communicable diseases, Urban slums, mHealth interventions