Participatory approach to identify interventions to improve the health, safety, and work productivity of smallholder women vegetable farmers in the Gambia

• Authors: Londa Vanderwal , Risto Rautiainen , Marizen Ramirez , Rex Kuye , Corinne Peek-Asa , Thomas Cook , Kennith Culp , Kelley Donham

Abstracts

EN

Objective: This paper describes the qualitative, community-based participatory approach used to identify culturally-acceptable and sustainable interventions to improve the occupational health, safety, and productivity of smallholder women vegetable farmers in The Gambia (West Africa). Materials and Methods: This approach was used to conduct: 1) analysis of the tasks and methods traditionally used in vegetable production, and 2) selection of interventions. Results: The most arduous garden tasks that were amenable to interventions were identified, and the interventions were selected through a participatory process for further evaluation. Conclusions: Factors contributing to the successful implementation of the participatory approach used in this study included the following: 1) ensuring that cultural norms were respected and observed; 2) working closely with the existing garden leadership structure; and 3) research team members working with the subjects for an extended period of time to gain first-hand understanding of the selected tasks and to build credibility with the subjects.

Keywords

EN

vegetable production; community-based participatory research; occupational health and safety; worker productivity; West Africa

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 36-47

Dates

published

2011

Contributors

author

Londa Vanderwal

• Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

author

Risto Rautiainen

• Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
• Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

author

Marizen Ramirez

• Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

author

Rex Kuye

• School of Public Health, University of The Gambia, Brikama, The Gambia

author

Corinne Peek-Asa

• Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

author

Thomas Cook

• Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

author

Kennith Culp

• Occupational Health Nursing Program, College of Nursing, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

author

Kelley Donham

• Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/s13382-011-0008-0

Biblioteka Nauki

2185475