Use of applied theatre in health research dissemination and data validation: a pilot study from South Africa

Abstract

This article reports on a pilot study of the use of applied theatre in the dissemination of health research findings and validation of data. The study took place in South Africa, as part of the Southern Africa Stroke Prevention Initiative (SASPI) and was based at the University/Medical Research Council Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (also known as the Agincourt Unit). The aim of SASPI was to investigate the prevalence of stroke and understand the social context of stroke. It was decided to use an applied theatre approach for validating the data and disseminating findings from the anthropological component of the study. The pilot study found that applied theatre worked better in smaller community groups. It allowed data validation and it elicited ideas for future interventions resulting from the health research findings. Evaluation methods of the impact of applied theatre as a vehicle for the dissemination and communication of research findings require further development.

This is the embodiment of empowerment: use of forum theatre to address tobacco use in community psychiatry

“…It also compels both the audience and performers to reflect and engage with the research data with enhanced emotion and empathy (Eakin & Endicott, 2006;Green, 2001;Rolfe, Mienczakowski, & Morgan, 1995). Performative research dissemination has successfully lent itself to a variety of topic areas including brain injury , Alzheimer's disease (Ferguson, 2009;Kontos & Naglie, 2007), smoking prevention (McCaffrey, 1999Perry et al, 1999), mental illness (Johnston, 2004;Mitchell, 2001;Rolfe et al, 1995;Seguin & Rancourt, 1996), prostate and breast cancer (Gray et al, 2003) and cardiovascular disease (Stuttaford et al, 2006). Involvement in theatre and drama productions has become an accessible avenue for mental health clients to break their silence and dispel myths which surround their lived experiences (Green, 2001).…”

“…Although the evaluation of the longterm effectiveness of theatre-based interventions has proven to be difficult, the literature suggests -through the results from post-production surveys, feedback and discussion groups in various case studies Rossiter et al, 2008;Stuttaford et al, 2006) -that interactive theatre, as a knowledge translation tool for health promotion, is effective through its ability to level systematic power structures on stage while empowering actors and spectators to promote social support and behaviour change. For theatre to continue to gain momentum as a dissemination tool for health researchers, an education tool for health promoters or a means in which to bring empowerment and change to a community, there needs to be further research into how to better evaluate the current strategies and outcomes (Kontos & Poland, 2009;Mienczakowski, 1995;Rossiter et al, 2008).…”

Assessing the effectiveness of a longitudinal knowledge dissemination intervention: Sharing research findings in rural South Africa

“…Other methods of dissemination such as theatre, which has been used to effect in this setting (Stuttaford et al 2006), postal drops of small, focused A5 pictograms, community radio, TV and social media may be useful in communicating results. Radio-based soap operas or talk shows (edutainment) have been effective in engaging the public with health research in Malawi (Nyirenda et al 2016) and South Africa (Jana et al 2015).…”

Constructing a survey over time: Audio-visual feedback and theatre sketches in rural Mali

“…Theatre sketches are often used for awareness campaigns in the country, but they are also popular forms of entertainment during the festivals put on by local organizations. Even though the villagers had no theatrical experience as such, we thought that it was an entertaining form of expression that they were likely to enjoy (Stuttaford et al 2006). …”