DESIGN+Health
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Immersive ethnographic research on health promotion practices and government-NGO relations in rural, urban, and informal settlements in the Solomon Islands.
DURATION
March - July 2018
ORGANIZATION
Solomon Islands National University,
University of Queensland,
UC Berkeley
ROLES
Research
Data collection (group)
Data analysis (individual)
background
The Solomon Islands is undergoing an epidemiological transition in which it faces the double burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and infectious diseases, many of which are caused by poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices.
Using a participatory research approach, I participated in a research study to analyze perceptions of health promotion strategies on NCDs and WASH-related diseases in two regions in the Solomon Islands.
Ethics approval to conduct this research was obtained from the University of Queensland Human Research Ethics Committee B (No. 2016001857) and from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development.
Qualitative data was collected using a Rapid Rural Appraisal approach, during which Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions were conducted by a multidisciplinary team of students. The interview protocols were not strictly adhered to due to the participatory, open-ended nature of the interviews; rather, general themes regarding health issues, health promotion, non-state actors, and funding were discussed.
The qualitative data was supplemented by a household survey, which was distributed to 28 households to gather quantitative information on different socioeconomic, nutrition, water use, and health aspects of the families.
Health promotion strategies in the Solomon Islands: Case studies of NCD management and WASH promotion in Honiara and Western Province
Using four case studies, I examine the complex relationship between government and civil society organizations; the subjectability of health promotion efforts to political campaigns; and, the culture of forced dependency on external funding sources. Ultimately, I posit that community engagement, familial ties, and social resilience have all contributed to the staying power of health promotion efforts despite volatile funding streams, and that a strengths-based approach focusing on community empowerment and income generation, rather than top-down charitable giving, would lead to better, more sustainable outcomes.
Read the ReportPromoting Health in Dunde
I created a plain-language flyer to share my findings back with the community I lived in.
