Beat The Wheat

Project title: Beat the Wheat: Coeliac Screening from our Labs to our Community
Main STEM field of focus: Health Sciences

The two-pronged aim of the project is 1) to increase awareness of coeliac disease and the
importance of early detection and management, whilst concurrently showcasing the role of
Biomedical Scientists in the process, and 2) to screen individuals by using point-of-care kits in
community settings.

Expanding on the above, community needs will be addressed by Beat the Wheat through targeting
misconceptions surrounding the condition, with the aim of improving the public’s perception.
Initial indications of how the project will take off are the following:

• A community outreach having an educational aspect, and in collaboration with a nutritionist the
  description of what is/makes a gluten-free diet with what it entails or not;
• Some initial data on the population’s perceptions of coeliac disease shall be collected by means of
  a questionnaire shared on social media and in-person, during visits to health centres and/or special
  events, such as ‘Science in the City’. The questionnaire will lead the respondent to a short clip and
  post-information question/s, to assess the impact of the educational material on their perceptions of
  the condition;
• On the other hand, community-based science will be carried out in the form of finger-prick tests
  (via point-of-care kits) to check individuals who consent to screening. (The test will be conducted in
  community settings including community centres, primary care clinics and special events).
  

Follow-up to all the above will be carried out in the following way:
Individuals who test positive for coeliac disease will receive an educational leaflet with some
information and contact details of the necessary healthcare professionals and organisations that can
further assist the individual on their journey to a new lifestyle;
At a later stage there will be a reporting based on findings from this study pointing to prevalence in
the general population/at-risk population.
Beat The Wheat also links to UN Sustainable Development Goals: SDG03 Good health & well-being
and
SDG04 Quality education.
Note: Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by the consumption of gluten, which is
found in wheat, barley and rye. It affects 1% of the population worldwide, and it is estimated that 90%
of people with the condition are undiagnosed.