The value of qualitative research: health education in Nigeria

Abstract

The experience of the University of Ibadans Ibaraba Community Health Program suggests that qualitative action research is particularly suitable for planning health education programs and encouraging community involvement. In contrast to large-scale survey methods fieldwork research is most often based on the technique of participant observation. In the context of health education such research seeks to identify locally perceived problems and their causes and to use the results to design appropriate programs. Time is taken to establish rapport with the community and more detailed in depth information is generated than is the case with surveys. Through participating in the research community members can have an important input into the research process and develop skills in the areas of program planning and evaluation. At the local level where primary health care programming takes effect there is a need for the flexibility offered by qualitative research methods. The foci of the 3 Ibaraba Community Health Program case studies were: 1) prompt treatment of malaria to prevent febrile convulsions 2) food categories and perceptions for nutrition education and 3) health education for a clinic-based diarrhea control program. These studies provided accurate essential and detailed results for health program planning and demonstrated that operational research using qualitative methods can become a part of regular service delivery. Whereas qualitative methods are generally more appropriate for local health education research quantitative information is needed for regional or national-level policy making.