scholarly journals An asset-based participatory community analysis of natural hazards in Naphuno, Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Allucia L. Shokane ◽  
Hanna Nel
Keyword(s):  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Community Analysis ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Resilient Communities ◽  
Asset Based Community Development

Natural hazards disrupt the daily lives of people and communities. Consequently, social workers, like any other stakeholders, deal with community predicaments arising from the effects of natural hazards. The social relief distress (SRD) programme of government utilises needs-based, top-down government-driven interventions in communities affected by natural hazards, focused on what communities lack, as opposed to what communities have. This research study involved a community that experienced natural hazards, such as flooding, hail, lightning and windstorms, which destroyed property and livelihoods during the period 2014–2015. Eight experts and 12 affected community members participated in a qualitative participatory action research analysis study between 2016 and 2017. Guided by the asset-based community development (ABCD) approach, the affected community participated in a collaborative manner in the analysis of the consequences of natural hazards within the community. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and focus group discussions, and analysed thematically. The findings confirmed the traumatic effects of natural hazards, such as loss of property, crops and livestock, physical injuries and even death. The main finding established that natural hazards should be managed in a collaborative way between formal experts of natural hazards and community members through ABCD principles and methods in building resilient communities.

Disability and Social Exclusion

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina I. Tobias ◽  
Sourav Mukhopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Individual Interviews

This article explores the experiences of social exclusion of individuals with visual impairment (IWVI) as they negotiate their daily lives in their homes and societal settings in the Oshana and Oshikoto regions of Namibia. Employing qualitative research approach, this research tried to better understand the lived experiences of IWVI. Nine IWVI with ages ranging from 30 to 90 years were initially engaged in focus group discussions, followed by semi-structured in-depth individual interviews. The findings of this research indicated that IWVI experience exclusion from education, employment and social and community participation as well as relationships. Based on these findings, we suggest more inclusive policies to address social exclusion of IWVI. At the same time, this group of individuals should be empowered to participate in community activities to promote interaction with people without visual impairments.

Understandings of depression among community members and primary healthcare attendees in rural Ethiopia: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. 136346152110643
Author(s):  
Bethlehem Tekola ◽  
Rosie Mayston ◽  
Tigist Eshetu ◽  
Rahel Birhane ◽  
Barkot Milkias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Medical Intervention ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Rural Ethiopia ◽  
Primary Care Settings ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Community Data

Available evidence in Africa suggests that the prevalence of depression in primary care settings is high but it often goes unrecognized. In this study, we explored how depression is conceptualized and communicated among community members and primary care attendees diagnosed with depression in rural Ethiopia with the view to informing the development of interventions to improve detection. We conducted individual interviews with purposively selected primary care attendees with depression (n = 28; 16 females and 12 males) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with males, females, and priests (n = 21) selected based on their knowledge of their community. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. None of the community members identified depression as a mental illness. They considered depressive symptoms presented in a vignette as part of a normal reaction to the stresses of life. They considered medical intervention only when the woman's condition in the vignette deteriorated and “affected her mind.” In contrast, participants with depression talked about their condition as illness. Symptoms spontaneously reported by these participants only partially matched symptoms listed in the current diagnostic criteria for depressive disorders. In all participants’ accounts, spiritual explanations and traditional healing were prominent. The severity of symptoms mediates the decision to seek medical help. Improved detection may require an understanding of local conceptualizations in order to negotiate an intervention that is acceptable to affected people.

scholarly journals A REPORT ABOUT INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN AND WESTERN RWANDA

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
Immaculée Mukashema
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Community Leaders ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Psychological Harassment

The present paper reports on intimate partner violence (IPV) in 3 districts of Southern Province and Western Province in Rwanda. Qualitative data were obtained via 3 focus group discussions conducted at the headquarters of each district, and 10 individual interviews with key informants, community leaders who worked in the districts. The types of IPV discussed were physical, economic, sexual, and psychological harassment. Community leaders stated that the women in their communities had no hesitation in reporting economic abuse and physical violence, but noted that the women needed support from other people to report sexual violence, and generally did not report psychological harassment, perhaps because they accepted it as the norm. They also noted that men generally did not report IPV and that the main victims of IPV in all its forms were children and women. The community leaders suggested a number of measures to reduce IPV: empowering females so that they are financially independent; educating and sensitizing family members about their responsibilities and community leaders about laws and human rights; educating all community members about gender equality and IPV, including premarital instruction; increasing access to services; putting in place a law that protects free unions by giving them legal status after a period of cohabitation; setting up a specific institution to deal with IPV; improving both support to the victims and follow-up of reported cases, along with instituting punitive responses to deter potential new perpetrators.

scholarly journals Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Digital Health Tools Faced by South Asian Canadians in Surrey, British Columbia: Community-Based Participatory Action Exploration Using Photovoice

10.2196/25863 ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. e25863
Author(s):  
Antonia Hyman ◽  
Elizabeth Stacy ◽  
Humaira Mohsin ◽  
Kaitlin Atkinson ◽  
Kurtis Stewart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Asian Community ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
South Asian Community

Background South Asian community members in Canada experience a higher burden of chronic disease than the general population. Digital health innovations provide a significant opportunity to address various health care challenges such as supporting patients in their disease self-management. However, South Asian community members are less likely to use digital tools for their health and face significant barriers in accessing them because of language or cultural factors. Objective The aim of this study is to understand the barriers to and facilitators of digital health tool uptake experienced by South Asian community members residing in Canada. Methods This study used a qualitative community-based participatory action research approach. Residents from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, who spoke 1 of 4 South Asian languages (Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, or Tamil) were invited to participate in focus group discussions. A subsample of the participants were invited to use photovoice methods in greater depth to explore the research topics. Results A total of 197 participants consented to the focus group discussions, with 12 (6.1%) participating in the photovoice phase. The findings revealed several key obstacles (older age, lack of education, and poor digital health literacy) and facilitators (social support from family or community members and positive attitudes toward technology) to using digital health tools. Conclusions The results support the value of using a community-based participatory action research approach and photovoice methods to engage the South Asian community in Canada to better understand digital health competencies and needs. There were several important implications for policy makers and future research, such as continued engagement of community leaders by health care providers and administrators to learn about attitudes and preferences.

scholarly journals Rural youth in southern Nigeria: Fractured lives and ambitious futures

2021 ◽  
pp. 144078332110424
Author(s):  
Barbara Crossouard ◽  
Mairead Dunne ◽  
Carolina Szyp ◽  
Tessy Madu ◽  
Béla Teekin
Keyword(s):  
Rural Youth ◽  
Work And Family ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Family Obligations ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Gender And Work ◽  
Southern Nigeria

This article draws on recent research (2017–20) into the livelihoods and imagined futures of rural youth in four communities in southern Nigeria. The research involved observations, sex-segregated focus group discussions and individual interviews. Taking up insights from sociologists of education and work, our analysis shows how rural youth simultaneously navigated schooling, farming, low-paid vocational work and family obligations in ways that were highly gendered. We show the gulf between youth’s daily lives and their imagined futures, and how their desires for better lives, whether through ‘white-collar’ work or expanded farming activities, often involved moving to more ‘civilised’ or ‘developed’ contexts. Commitment to family nevertheless ran through youth’s narratives, in ways that reflected a deeply gendered, sexual economy. We conclude by highlighting the relevance of a connected sociology that embraces postcolonial and feminist scholarship to advance future studies of rural youth, gender and work in the Global South.

scholarly journals Mainstreaming use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in an African context

Open Praxis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony John Mays
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
African Context ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
The University ◽  
Document Review

The study derives from a multi-year project implemented by OER Africa. The project sought to understand how OER might be used as a catalyst for pedagogical transformation in African universities. Within a non-determinist and interpretivist theoretical framework and an over-arching project methodology of participatory action research, the study made use of an analytical autoethnographic approach to capture and analyse data and to make recommendations. The approach was informed primarily by hermeneutics and systems thinking and involved multiple in-country engagements and the triangulation of information derived from document review, observation and iterative focus group discussions and individual interviews. The key finding of this study is the suggestion that engagement with OER is unlikely to move from being an individual to an institutional focus unless such engagement is aligned with the overall vision, mission and business model of the university.

scholarly journals Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Digital Health Tools Faced by South Asian Canadians in Surrey, British Columbia: Community-Based Participatory Action Exploration Using Photovoice (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Hyman ◽  
Elizabeth Stacy ◽  
Humaira Mohsin ◽  
Kaitlin Atkinson ◽  
Kurtis Stewart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Asian Community ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
South Asian Community

BACKGROUND South Asian community members in Canada experience a higher burden of chronic disease than the general population. Digital health innovations provide a significant opportunity to address various health care challenges such as supporting patients in their disease self-management. However, South Asian community members are less likely to use digital tools for their health and face significant barriers in accessing them because of language or cultural factors. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to understand the barriers to and facilitators of digital health tool uptake experienced by South Asian community members residing in Canada. METHODS This study used a qualitative community-based participatory action research approach. Residents from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, who spoke 1 of 4 South Asian languages (Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, or Tamil) were invited to participate in focus group discussions. A subsample of the participants were invited to use photovoice methods in greater depth to explore the research topics. RESULTS A total of 197 participants consented to the focus group discussions, with 12 (6.1%) participating in the photovoice phase. The findings revealed several key obstacles (older age, lack of education, and poor digital health literacy) and facilitators (social support from family or community members and positive attitudes toward technology) to using digital health tools. CONCLUSIONS The results support the value of using a community-based participatory action research approach and photovoice methods to engage the South Asian community in Canada to better understand digital health competencies and needs. There were several important implications for policy makers and future research, such as continued engagement of community leaders by health care providers and administrators to learn about attitudes and preferences.

scholarly journals Selling places: a community-based model for promoting local food. The case of Rhondda Cynon Taf

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-228
Author(s):  
Robert Bowen ◽  
Sophie Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Local Food ◽  
Place Branding ◽  
Food Products ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Holistic Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Development

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate how places approach the promotion of local food products and what it means to produce, consume and support local produce in a rural region. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a participatory action-reflective approach through a series of three focus groups held over consecutive weeks with nine participants. This included local food producers, artists and community members, with data collected through focus group discussions, reflective video diaries and a questionnaire. The research was conducted in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, a region with entrepreneurial potential but lacking a reputation for food. Findings Findings demonstrate confused perceptions of local identity, leading to a clichéd image of the region. As such, an origin brand may do little to enhance the value of local produce or increase economic prosperity in places that lack an established identity. Places with a more recognised reputation for food, such as Wales, could benefit from an origin brand, similar to Brittany. Originality/value The study extends the academic understanding of place branding by investigating the value of using origin branding in promoting food products. The context of a lesser-known region highlights the importance of awareness and reputation for the successful implementation of the brand. Additionally, the unique community-led action-reflective methodology provides a holistic model in exploring the effective development of the brand.

scholarly journals Do Communities Really “Direct” in Community-Directed Interventions? A Qualitative Assessment of Beneficiaries’ Perceptions at 20 Years of Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin in Cameroon

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Fanny Nadia Dissak-Delon ◽  
Guy-Roger Kamga ◽  
Perrine Claire Humblet ◽  
Annie Robert ◽  
Jacob Souopgui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Participation ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Health Staff ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Community Ownership ◽  
Health Finance ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Health Districts

Recent studies in Cameroon after 20 years of implementation of the Community Directed Treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) strategy, revealed mixed results as regards community ownership. This brings into question the feasibility of Community Directed Interventions (CDI) in the country. We carried out qualitative surveys in 3 health districts of Cameroon, consisting of 11 individual interviews and 10 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with specific community members. The main topic discussed during individual interviews and FGDs was about community participation in health. We found an implementation gap in CDTI between the process theory in the 3 health districts. Despite this gap, community eagerness for health information and massive personal and financial adhesion to interventions that were perceived important, were indicators of CDI feasibility. The concept of CDI is culturally feasible in rural and semi-urban settlements, but many challenges hinder its actual implementation. In the view of community participation as a process rather than an intervention, these challenges include real dialogue with communities as partners, dialogue and advocacy with operational level health staff, and macroeconomic and political reforms in health, finance and other associated sectors.

PAR Method

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Billies
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Critical Consciousness ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Context Analysis ◽  
Gender Nonconforming ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Gender

The work of the Welfare Warriors Research Collaborative (WWRC), a participatory action research (PAR) project that looks at how low income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender nonconforming (LG-BTGNC) people survive and resist violence and discrimination in New York City, raises the question of what it means to make conscientization, or critical consciousness, a core feature of PAR. Guishard's (2009) reconceptualization of conscientization as “moments of consciousness” provides a new way of looking at what seemed to be missing from WWRC's process and analysis. According to Guishard, rather than a singular awakening, critical consciousness emerges continually through interactions with others and the social context. Analysis of the WWRC's process demonstrates that PAR researchers doing “PAR deep” (Fine, 2008)—research in which community members share in all aspects of design, method, analysis and product development—should have an agenda for developing critical consciousness, just as they would have agendas for participation, for action, and for research.

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