Participatory Action Research on Avian Flu Communication

This 55-page summary report explores and evaluates the use of participatory action research (PAR) as part of a community-level behaviour and social change communication strategy to stimulate change to reduce the negative impact of avian influenza within the livelihood systems and cultural practices of West and Central Africa.

Conducted by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Academy for Educational Development (AED), the PAR described in the report involves local research teams working with communities to assess the local situation and define appropriate solutions to the threat of bird flu. This process is part of UNICEF's conviction that effective communication and mobilisation interventions to address avian flu, for instance, are based on a solid knowledge of the problem in context (including how communities identify problems and determine appropriate courses of actions, and what the social, cultural, and economic implications of various scenarios will be from a local perspective). In short, PAR is a response to the observation that "[m]any of the global messages that have been developed for preventing and responding to avian flu are not practicable for backyard producers in West and Central Africa."

As detailed here, in October-November 2006, AED implemented PAR in 6 communities - one urban/periurban community and one rural community in 3 locations: Burkina Faso, as well as Lagos State and Kano State in Nigeria. The teams involved community members in all phases of the research, including as co-researchers; these community facilitators (3 per site) were selected by the community leaders. Teams spent 9 days in the field in each setting. Although the sequence of methods used differed in each site, the basic process involved data collection with the community, followed by review and discussion of the findings in the evening, leading to plans for activities the following day.

The report details key findings that emerged from the research process, such as the fact that chickens play a critical role in rituals and social ceremonies; thus, reminding people that avian flu can threaten their ceremonies may motivate them to engage in preventive behaviours. Other motivators identified include concern for health (especially health of children), loss of livelihood, and, in Burkina Faso, community solidarity. Another selected finding is that community knowledge about how avian influenza is transmitted is low. To cite one additional example of findings in this area, the PAR process revealed that strategic use of a mix of mass media and interpersonal channels will hold the most promise for quickly reaching large numbers of people and persuading them to change behaviours - but must be "realistic and practicable in the local context. They also need to be complemented by interpersonal communication from trusted sources in the community."

An overall communication strategy is offered; here is a synopsis of the findings:

• Use a mix of mass media and interpersonal channels to promote changes in behaviours that are feasible and likely to reduce transmission among birds and from birds to humans - the idea is that combining the provision of basic information with an opportunity for people to discuss (face-to-face) the proposed actions can help build resolve for changing behaviours.
• Complement these messages with interpersonal communication from trusted sources on animal and human health (e.g., draw on veterinarians to reach commercial and semi-commercial breeders, extension workers and traditional leaders to reach backyard flock owners, and/or traditional practitioners) to discuss how this strategy could effectively be carried out.
• Through mass and/or community-based media, such as theatre for development and rural radio, remind people to improve behaviours (e.g., washing hands with soap before and after handling birds) that many are already practicing.
• For complex behaviours, facilitate dialogue so that solutions come from producers themselves. Consider developing "community discussion guides" for extension workers to start community dialogues.
• Advocate for improved policies, such as one that provides for a surveillance system that provides a rapid response to reports, clear guidelines about steps to be taken, and quick and fair compensation for birds that are culled. Ensure that the system taps into motivations for reporting that resonate with communities.

The report also offers specific recommendations related to communication interventions related to 4 key clusters of behaviours ("report, separate, wash, and cook"); recommended behaviours, barriers to their adoption as identified in the PAR; and implications for communication interventions are included here. To cite one example, in Nigeria, the PAR process revealed that people were reluctant to acknowledge avian influenza as a new disease due to mistrust of government and the wealthy; evaluators found that only continuing transparency on the part of officials and the system can be effective in addressing this barrier.

Recommendations for communication channels and channel mix are also offered. For example, the PAR process revealed that, in both Nigeria and Burkina Faso, radio and television were the preferred channels used in the early stages of the outbreaks to convey information to the public about controlling the spread of the disease; these efforts were met with limited success as doubts and skepticism mounted among the poultry raisers and the population at large. In contrast - because interpersonal measures were grounded in trust, acceptance, and dialogue - "[a]cceptance and compliance with the suggested measures were achieved when...the Professional Poultry Farmers Association's roving theater in Nigeria and traditional village leaders and traditional healers in Burkina Faso...were called upon to disseminate information."