Moyo Christabelle S, Francis Joseph, Bessong Pascal O
HIV/AIDS & Global Health Research Programme, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
Institute for Rural Development, School of Agriculture, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
BMC Public Health. 2017 Mar 17;17(1):267. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4138-6.
Researchers involved in biomedical community-based projects rarely seek the perspectives of community fieldworkers, who are the 'foot soldiers' in such projects. Understanding the effect of biomedical research on community-based field workers could identify benefits and shortfalls that may be crucial to the success of community-based studies. The present study explored the perceptions of community-based field workers on the effect of the Etiology, Risk Factors and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development Project" (MAL-ED) South Africa on their tangible and intangible capital which together comprise sustainable livelihoods.
The study was conducted in Dzimauli community in Limpopo Province of South Africa between January-February 2016. The sustainable livelihoods framework was used to query community-based field workers' perspectives of both tangible assets such as income and physical assets and intangible assets such as social capital, confidence, and skills. Data were collected through twenty one individual in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion. Data were analysed using the Thematic Content Analysis approach supported by ATLAS.ti, version 7.5.10 software.
All the field workers indicated that they benefitted from the MAL-ED South Africa project. The benefits included intangible assets such as acquisition of knowledge and skills, stronger social capital and personal development. Additionally, all indicated that MAL-ED South Africa provided them with the tangible assets of increased income and physical assets. Observations obtained from the focus group discussion and the community-based leaders concurred with the findings from the in-depth interviews. Additionally, some field workers expressed the desire for training in public relations, communication, problem solving and confidence building.
The MAL-ED South Africa, biomedical research project, had positive effects on tangible and intangible assets that compose the sustainable livelihoods of community-based fieldworkers. However, the field workers expressed the need to acquire social skills to enable them carry out their duties more efficiently.
参与基于社区的生物医学项目的研究人员很少征求社区实地工作者的意见，而这些实地工作者是此类项目中的“步兵”。了解生物医学研究对社区实地工作者的影响，可以确定对基于社区的研究成功可能至关重要的益处和不足。本研究探讨了社区实地工作者对“肠道感染与营养不良的病因、危险因素及相互作用及其对儿童健康与发育的影响项目”（MAL-ED）南非项目对其有形和无形资产（共同构成可持续生计）的影响的看法。
该研究于2016年1月至2月在南非林波波省的齐马乌利社区进行。采用可持续生计框架，询问社区实地工作者对收入和实物资产等有形资产以及社会资本、信心和技能等无形资产的看法。通过21次个人深度访谈和1次焦点小组讨论收集数据。使用ATLAS.ti 7.5.10软件支持的主题内容分析法对数据进行分析。
所有实地工作者均表示他们从MAL-ED南非项目中受益。这些益处包括获得知识和技能、增强社会资本和个人发展等无形资产。此外，所有人都表示MAL-ED南非项目为他们提供了增加收入和实物资产的有形资产。从焦点小组讨论和社区领袖那里获得的观察结果与深度访谈的结果一致。此外，一些实地工作者表示希望接受公共关系、沟通、解决问题和建立信心方面的培训。
MAL-ED南非生物医学研究项目对构成社区实地工作者可持续生计的有形和无形资产产生了积极影响。然而，实地工作者表示需要获得社交技能，以便更有效地履行职责。
