A Qualitative Study on Health Communication in a Low-income Context

Lanfer, Hanna Luetke

doi:10.1007/978-3-658-34914-1_6

Cited by 2 publications

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“…The results provide important insights into the influence of community and leadership structures and the loci of power on intervention outcomes, as also shown by Mkandawire and Hendriks [ 27 ]. Our qualitative findings were confirmed by quantitative statistical analysis of a pretest–posttest survey and observation, as described in Luetke Lanfer [ 24 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…In addition to the treatment condition participation , another treatment was used; however, this will not be addressed in this paper. Further elaborations about the other treatment condition communication approach can be found in Luetke Lanfer [ 24 ] .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, a pretest-posttest survey and observation of handwashing behavior accompanied the experiment. The results of these analyses are not presented in this paper and can be found in Luetke Lanfer [ 24 ] .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the nonparticipatory condition, participants received lecture-type presentations of handwashing information presented by the research team or a medical worker without interactive elements. The content of the interventions in both conditions was based on materials provided by the government and our previous study [ 24 ], and it addressed handwashing knowledge, financial barriers to handwashing, and social and religious norms. Interventions in the nonparticipatory groups lasted between 30 and 60 minutes and up to 120 minutes in the participatory groups; they included preparatory meetings with the volunteers.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Analysis of Power Dynamics Affecting Handwashing Interventions in Sierra Leone: Findings From a Qualitative Participatory Study

Lanfer¹,

Brew‐Sam²,

Rossmann³

2023

JMIR Form Res

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Background Handwashing is an effective and cost-efficient health behavior for preventing infectious diseases; however, its practice is shaped by multiple contextual factors and inequalities between different social groups in Sierra Leone. To address these inequalities, participatory approaches that allow a more equitable distribution of resources and the development of locally tailored interventions are increasingly used. However, social power dynamics have not been well integrated into the concept of participation, despite their known impact. Objective We sought to investigate the role of power dynamics in participatory approaches to handwashing in Sierra Leone. Methods From a socio-ecological perspective, this qualitative, formative interview study aimed to identify relevant actors and their power relationships before designing a participatory handwashing project in rural Sierra Leone. A field experiment with focus groups and a research diary compared the development of power dynamics in a participatory, community-driven approach with that in a nonparticipatory top-down approach. Results According to our formative study, in community-based projects, multiple groups and actors interact directly or indirectly with each other, located within a macro level (eg, political institutions), meso level (eg, community leaders and groups), and micro level (eg, families) of a socio-ecological model. Although distinct leadership structures were noticeable and affected intervention attendance and processes of change in nonparticipatory approaches, community-led activities and handwashing increased in the participatory approach, irrespective of the leadership structure. Despite their ambivalence, the strategic inclusion of different community leaders appeared essential to enhance the value of the project, mobilize creative action, and empower lower-ranking individuals to practice handwashing. A similar ambivalent role could be observed in relation to external researchers, especially if they come from a different cultural background than the research participants, for example, from a Western country in a non-Western project setting. Although external researchers can initiate a project or provide certain resources, distinct expectations regarding their roles and resources can impact participatory efforts and power relations. Conclusions The results highlight the advantages of participatory approaches for health promotion. Power dynamics should be a core component of continuous reflection and analysis in participatory projects.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

An Analysis of Power Dynamics Affecting Handwashing Interventions in Sierra Leone: Findings From a Qualitative Participatory Study

Lanfer¹,

Brew‐Sam²,

Rossmann³

2023

JMIR Form Res

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“…This research is part of a larger study to increase health promotion for underserved communities in Sierra Leone (Luetke Lanfer, 2021 ; Luetke Lanfer & Reifegerste, 2021 ). In this qualitative study, we applied a theory-based approach, where a previously defined research question guided data collection and analysis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the Contextual Factors of Religious Leader Participation in Health Communication: Evidence from a Qualitative Study in Sierra Leone

Lanfer

Rossmann²,

Kargbo³

2022

J Relig Health

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As there are many and sometimes ambivalent intersections of health and religion, strategic collaborations with religious opinion leaders in health campaigns have been increasingly explored. Despite the known influence of distinct contextual factors within emergency and non-emergency settings, existing research seldom distinguishes between those different factors and their impact on the inclusion of religious leaders as health messengers. To compare the contextual factors of religious leaders as health messengers during emergency and non-emergency situations in a setting with high religious affiliations, this study used a qualitative approach and triangulated the perspectives of three different samples, including (religious) opinion leaders, members of religious communities, and developers of health communication strategies in Sierra Leone. The results provide multifaceted insights into contextual factors applicable to emergency and non-emergency settings as well as the risks and opportunities. Recommendations for the incorporation of religious leaders in health promotion activities in consideration of different contextual factors are provided.

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A Qualitative Study on Health Communication in a Low-income Context

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

An Analysis of Power Dynamics Affecting Handwashing Interventions in Sierra Leone: Findings From a Qualitative Participatory Study

An Analysis of Power Dynamics Affecting Handwashing Interventions in Sierra Leone: Findings From a Qualitative Participatory Study

Exploring the Contextual Factors of Religious Leader Participation in Health Communication: Evidence from a Qualitative Study in Sierra Leone

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