Impact of a community-based participatory research project with underserved communities at risk for hepatitis C virus in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: an evaluation study.

BACKGROUND: Participatory approaches have become a widely applied research approach. Despite their popularity, there are many challenges associated with the evaluation of participatory projects. Here we describe an evaluation of a community-based participatory research study of underserved communities in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam at risk for hepatitis C virus. The goals of our evaluation were to explore the main benefits and challenges of implementing and participating in a participatory study and to describe study impacts. METHODS: We conducted two meetings with leaders and members of the participating groups followed by in-depth interviews with 10 participants. We then held a dissemination meeting with over 70 participants, including the representatives of each group, researchers from non-governmental organizations (community-based, national and international), and govenrment officials from the Vietnam Ministry of Health and the Department of Health of HCMC. RESULTS: Results include four categories where we describe first the participatory impacts, followed by the collaborative impacts. Then we describe the benefits and challenges of creating and belonging to one of the groups, from members' and leaders' points of view. Finally, we describe the key suggestions that participants provided for future research. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the evaluation approach led to both a research reflection on the 'success' of the project and enabled participants themselves to reflect on the outcomes and benefits of the study from their point of view.

Participatory approaches in research aim to include participants in an array of aspects of the study, including developing research questions, collecting data, conducting analysis, etc. It has become a more popular method, however there are still challenges surrounding the evaluation of these projects. Here we describe an evaluation of a community-based participatory research study of underserved communities in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam at risk for hepatitis C virus. The goals of the evaluation were to discuss and explore the main benefits and challenges with those who participated, as well as assess study impacts. To conduct the evaluation, we conducted two meetings with leaders and members of the participating groups followed by interviews with 10 people who were involved. The evaluation results included four categories including impacts for members as well as wider impacts in the community. Then we describe the benefits and challenges of creating and belonging to one of the groups, from members' and leaders' points of view. Finally, we describe the key suggestions that participants provided for future research. In conclusion, the evaluation approach led to both a research reflection on the 'success' of the project and enabled participants themselves to reflect on the outcomes and benefits of the study from their point of view.

Attitudes and use of medicinal plants during pregnancy among women at health care centers in three regions of Mali, West-Africa.

BACKGROUND: Although, medicinal plants have been important for women's health historically, the knowledge about such use during pregnancy in developing countries is limited. This is the first quantitative, ethnobotanical study on Malian women's use of and attitudes towards the use of medicinal plants during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to describe Malian women's use of medicinal plants during pregnancy according to indications and to evaluate the potentially safety of such use. The overall aim was to preserve valuable information about medicinal plants for women's reproductive health for the future. METHODS: Data was collected through structured interviews of 209 pregnant women or mothers in three health care centers in Mali. The women were interviewed about their uses of medicinal plants during pregnancy and their attitudes to such use. Nine specific medicinal plants commonly used in Mali and treatment of eleven common ailments in pregnancy were specifically queried about. RESULTS: In total, 79.9 % had used medicinal plants during pregnancy. Only 17 women (8.5 %) had received a recommendation from a traditional practitioner (TP). The most commonly used medicinal plants were Lippia chevalieri (55.5 %), Combretum micranthum (39.7 %), Parkia biglobosa (12.0 %) and Vepris heterophylla (8.1 %). The most common reasons for use were for well-being (37.7 %), symptoms of malaria (37.1 %) and "increased salt-elimination" (to reduce edema) (19.2 %). For treatment of symptoms of malaria and urinary tract infections during pregnancy, the women's choices of medicinal plants agreed with those previously reported from interviews with TPs. Almost 30 % believed that medicinal plants had no adverse effects for the mother. CONCLUSION: This study showed an extensive use and knowledge of medicinal plants during pregnancy in three regions in Mali. However, exclusive use of medicinal plants as treatment of malaria and urinary tract infections during pregnancy may pose a health risk for the mother and her unborn child. A wider collaboration with TPs, with local communities and conventional health workers of the health care centers, on the safe use of medicinal plants, is important to promote safer pregnancies and better health care for pregnant women and their unborn infants in Mali.