scholarly journals Using participatory action research to improve immunization utilization in areas with pockets of unimmunized children in Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ngozi N. Akwataghibe ◽  
Elijah A. Ogunsola ◽  
Oluwafemi A. Popoola ◽  
Adanna I. Agbo ◽  
Marjolein A. Dieleman
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Routine Immunization ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Immunization Services ◽  
Local Government Officials

Abstract Background In 2005, Nigeria adopted the Reaching Every Ward strategy to improve vaccination coverage for children 0–23 months of age. By 2015, Ogun state had full coverage (100%) in 12 of its 20 local government areas, but eight had pockets of unimmunized children, with the highest burden (37%) in Remo North. A participatory action research (PAR) approach was used to facilitate implementation of local solutions to contextual barriers to immunization in Remo North. This article assesses and seeks to explain the outcomes of the PAR implemented in Remo North to understand whether and possibly how it improved immunization utilization. Methods The PAR intervention took place from 2016 to 2017. It involved two (4-month) cycles of dialogue and action between community members, frontline health workers and local government officials in two wards of Remo North, facilitated by the research team. The PAR was assessed using a pre/post-intervention-only design with mixed methods. These included household surveys of caregivers of 215 and 213 children, respectively, 25 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in immunization service delivery and 16 focus group discussions with community members. Data were analysed using the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) vaccine hesitancy framework. Results Collaboration among the three stakeholder groups enabled the development and implementation of solutions to identified problems related to access to and use of immunization services. At endline, assessment by card for children older than 9 months revealed a significant increase in those fully immunized, from 60.7% at baseline to 90.9% (p < .05). A significantly greater number of caregivers visited fixed government health facilities for routine immunization at endline (83.2%) than at baseline (54.2%) (p < .05). The reasons reported by caregivers for improved utilization of routine immunization services were increased community mobilization activities and improved responsiveness of the health workers. Spillover effects into maternal health services enhanced the use of immunization services by caregivers. Spontaneous scale-up of actions occurred across Remo North due to the involvement of local government officials. Conclusion The PAR approach achieved contextual solutions to problems identified by communities. Collection and integration of evidence into discussions/dialogues with stakeholders can lead to change. Leveraging existing structures and resources enhanced effectiveness.

scholarly journals A Participatory Action Research Method in a Rural Community of Mexico

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubi Arellano ◽  
Fabricio Balcazar ◽  
Sergio Suarez ◽  
Francisco Alvarado
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Community Interventions ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Need To Evaluate ◽  
Community Issues ◽  
To Come

For several decades, community interventions have promoted community development with strategies involving capacity building, advocacy, social change, and empowerment. Although community interventions intend to ameliorate social and economic inequalities, there is still a need to evaluate the outcomes of Participatory Action Research (PAR). PAR approaches have demonstrated to be a helpful tool for addressing and identifying community issues and strengths, while leading community members into action. The PAR approach described in this case study of “Ciudad Renace” (Town Reborn)—the Concerns Report Method (CRM)—provided a process for the community to come together and identify main issues, organize, and take actions. The findings suggest multiple activities and outcomes in areas like environmental contamination, social services, and education. Participatory methodologies like the Concerns report Method provided opportunities for community members to become engaged in pursing issues and addressing their own needs. The implications for community psychology research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Using Participatory Action Research to Create Systematic Parent Engagement

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 17-37
Author(s):  
Debbie Pushor
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Parent Engagement ◽  
Community Partnerships ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Children And Parents ◽  
Diverse Community ◽  
Outcomes For Children

Despite ample research supporting the value of strong family, school, and community partnerships, few districts or communities have been able to support and sustain systematic parent engagement.  This article focuses on the efforts undertaken by a research team in Saskatoon, Canada to develop a model that empowers parents to systematically engage with educators and schools in order to enhance educational and social outcomes for children and parents.  Central to this effort has been the use of participatory action research (PAR) as a means to honor and engage the experiences of diverse community members.  This article highlights specific PAR methods that supported the development of a more systematic approach to parent engagement. The experiences described demonstrate how the improvisatory and responsive nature of the PAR approach help to both build trust and create more sustainable changes in communities. 

scholarly journals An Exploratory Assessment of Significant Tourism Sustainability Indicators for a Montane-Based Route in the Drakensberg Mountains

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarudzai Mutana ◽  
Geoffrey Mukwada
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Sustainability Indicators ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Free State Province ◽  
Local Government Officials

This paper assesses the use the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) indicators for monitoring tourism along a mountainous route. The study was carried out along a mountain route in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. A survey was carried out among tourism businesses, local communities and local government officials located along the Maluti Route, which passes though the eastern part of the Free State Province of South Africa. This study constitutes the first assessment in which the GSTC indicators are applied in the assessment of the sustainability of route tourism in South Africa. The study first evaluated the importance of each indicator by considering the level of application in tourism business organisations before examining the perceptions of local community members and local government officials regarding the applicability of the indicators in the assessment of tourism sustainability. The results suggest that there is a general appreciation of tourism sustainability among tourism business operators although shortcomings were evident on environmental and socio-economic indicators. In conclusion, the paper suggests ways through which tourism sustainability could be enhanced among different players along the Maluti Route.

scholarly journals Raising Awareness of Agency to Address Climate Change: The Do One Thing (DOT) Strategy

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Irene Muller ◽  
Lesley Wood
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Action Research Approach

The United Nations Children's Fund 2008 report, Our Climate, Our Children, Our Responsibility, warned that children will suffer most from the effects of climate change. Environmental education is one way to prepare children to cope and enable them to educate their families and friends about the need to act now to minimise the danger climate change poses. This article reports on findings from a participatory action research project aimed at integrating education for sustainable development into the Grade 7 curriculum, with a specific focus on climate change. Critical participatory action research has a transformative intent, engaging participants in learning to cultivate a sense of purpose and increase their capacity to solve local problems. Learner responses to qualitative questionnaires and recorded discussions related to the Do One Thing (DOT) strategy were used to determine learning about climate change and enable both learners and community members to identify action for change. Thematic coding was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the DOT strategy in increasing awareness of agency and resultant learning. The findings indicate that not only did the learners gain knowledge about the causes and consequences of climate change but the potential of the learners and community members to identify possible actions for change was increased as well. We provide suggestions as to how teachers can use the DOT strategy as part of an action research approach to integrating environmental education for sustainable development in order to raise awareness of local environmental threats and encourage learners and their families to behave in a more environmentally friendly way. The explanation of the research process offered in this article also highlights how participatory learning activities can help engage learners as active agents in their own learning.

scholarly journals Wearing the Label of Mental Illness: Community-Based Participatory Action Research of Mental Illness Stigma

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Theurer ◽  
Nicole Jean-Paul ◽  
Kristi Cheyney ◽  
Mirka Koro-Ljungberg ◽  
Bruce Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Mental Illness Stigma ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Based

Stigma remains an impediment to seeking and receiving the requisite care for mental illness. To enhance a local National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate’s understanding of community members’ perceptions of mental illness and its associated stigma, a community-based participatory action research study was conducted. The study addressed the following research question: how do community members understand and experience the stigma associated with mental illness? Twenty-two participant-researchers wore mental illness labeled T-shirts around the local community, recorded their observations and reflections of this experience and recruited twenty-two community members for semi-structured interviews about mental illness stigma. Domain analysis of the interviews revealed community members’ understandings of (1) sources of stigma, (2) impacts of stigma, (3) conceptualizations of stigma and (4) pathways to change stigma. Findings were presented to members of the local NAMI affiliate as well as other community members. Practical implications, specific to the community of interest, are discussed.

scholarly journals Working Towards the Promise of Participatory Action Research: Learning From Ageing Research Exemplars

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 160940691881795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanya Elizabeth Benjamin-Thomas ◽  
Ann Marie Corrado ◽  
Colleen McGrath ◽  
Debbie Laliberte Rudman ◽  
Carri Hand
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
Critical Appraisal ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Full Participation ◽  
Research Findings

Within research addressing issues of social justice, there is a growing uptake of participatory action research (PAR) approaches that are ideally committed to equitable participation of community members in all phases of the research process in order to collaboratively enact social transformation. However, the utilization of such approaches has not always matched the ideal, with inconsistencies in how participation and action are incorporated. “Participation” within various research processes is displayed differently, with the involvement of community members varying from full participation to their involvement as simply participants for data collection. Similarly, “action” is varyingly enacted from researchers proposing research implications for policy and practice to the meaningful involvement of community members in facilitating social change. This inconsistency in how PAR is utilized, despite widespread publications outlining key principles and central tenets, suggests there are challenges preventing researchers from fully embracing and enacting the central tenets of equitable participation and social transformation. This article intends to provide one way forward, for scholars intending to more fully enact the central tenets of PAR, through critically discussing how, and to what extent, the principles of PAR were enacted within 14 key exemplars of PAR conducted with older adults. More specifically, we display and discuss key principles for enacting the full commitment of PAR, highlight a critical appraisal guide, critically analyze exemplars, and share strategies that researchers have used to address these commitments. The critical appraisal guide and associated research findings provide useful directions for researchers who desire to more fully embrace commitments and practices commensurate with enacting the promise of PAR for equitable collaboration and social transformation.

Participatory action research in the design, construction and evaluation of improved cook stoves in a rural Yucatec Maya community

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 490-509
Author(s):  
Octavio López-Martínez ◽  
Heriberto Emilio Cuanalo de la Cerda
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Participatory Action Research ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Yucatec Maya ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
Cook Stoves ◽  
Design Construction

Different initiatives have promoted the use of improved cook stoves around the world. Their goal has been to eradicate cooking over open flame inside dwellings because it is associated with health problems, inefficient resource use and greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these improved cook stoves initiatives depend heavily on expert-generated solutions, treating users as mere recipients. However, they have had little success in terms of adoption rates. Their failures are due to myriad factors, highlighting the complexity of this problem. In the rural community of Yaxcabá, Mexico, most households use wood as a cooking fuel in small fire pits. As an alternative approach to this problem, we proposed a project to create an improved cook stoves based on dialogue with community members. We used a systems approach to analyze the large number of variables involved in the problem. Following participatory action research approach, we worked with 17 participants forming two groups in a process of self-diagnosis, design, construction and evaluation of two improved cook stoves models. The participants stated that the resulting improved cook stoves offered multiple advantages over previous devices, particularly in sociocultural, environmental and comfort aspects.

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