Discussion Forum 11 – Term Paper

Article: The use of community based participatory research to access perceived health status and health education needs of persons in rural and urban Haiti.

    In the article, the selection of Haiti as one of the impoverished or developing country, I would love to know whether other developing countries exhibit the same results. Health issues are paramount to both rural and urban groups. Additionally, I would like to know what impact health education has to the poor population of Haiti since the spread of teaching while the population still lacks the resources to maintain health stands to inhibit exactly should be done since the spread of health literacy to the poor citizens of Haiti? Effective health promotion programs as part of improving health literacy and empowering people in Haiti is paramount. In the article, community-based participatory research (CBPR) which involves collaborative approaches in providing opportunities for the community residents to participate is advocated. Moreover, the use of CBPR in identifying the specific needs of the community of interest through community involvement. What is still not clear to me is that whether the collaboration of researchers and residents as an effective means of improving the health of the society is an effective means of spreading health literacy. According to me, I tend to think that studies conducted by researchers would tend to benefit the population if especially the researchers and policy makers, as well as the government, collaborated.

    At the beginning of the semester, I did not understand the importance the need for customizing health education and health promotion programs based on specific geographic areas.

Health education is paramount. More importantly, health promotion, as well as primary health care, are excellent throughout the country. Initially, I only understood that development of health literacy is the role of the government, but after the study, I came to comprehend that the role is for the researchers since they best understand the subject.

References

Debra Pettit Whisenant, D.P., Cortes,C., Ewell, P. & Cuellar, N. (n.d). The use of community based participatory research to access perceived health status and health education needs of persons in rural and urban Haiti.