Planning with PRA: HIV and STD in a Nepalese mountain community
Butcher, K.; Kievelitz, U.
Health Policy and Planning 12(3): 253-261
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0268-1080 PMID: 10173407 DOI: 10.1093/heapol/12.3.253Document Number: 269135
The application of Participatory Rural Appraisal methods (PRA) to the topic of sexual health enabled the authors to explore key factors concerning local people's perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS and STDs and to plan collectively to address the emerging issues. Conducting the process in a gender-sensitive way enabled people to feel safe enough to express their own opinions, and having gained confidence in their peer groups, to share ideas later with the whole community in a joint planning exercise. Nevertheless one group was identified as difficult to reach and whose needs could not be met in a group for reasons of confidentiality. While the methodology itself clearly has great potential in planning around specific health issues, there are, nevertheless, limitations. Although the approach and the tools used are simple and accessible, the skills needed to analyse the information are more complex and demanding. The training given did not manage to equip facilitators adequately with these analytical skills and in the future will be more experience based and geared towards developing analysis and the ability to formulate questions. In addition, since the project is not permanently resident in the area, intensive support within the District is necessary to increase the chances of sustainability.