Browsing by Author "Haricharan, Hanne"

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    The experiences of health committes of community participation in health information campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (2023) James, Carryn; Haricharan, Hanne; London Leslie
    Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a need arose for information to be provided to communities in a way that is understandable, practical and suited to their context, in order to empower communities to mobilize and actively participate in prevention measures against COVID-19.The People's Health Movement (PHM) in South Africa generated information pamphlets meant for dissemination and training among vulnerable communities, in efforts to facilitate knowledge translation about non-pharmacological prevention behaviours in the fight against the pandemic. It was not clear what benefit health information delivered in this way would have on the agency of bodies such as health committees, in taking ownership of advocating for the implementation of non-pharmacological behaviours, though similar theories could be formed from the study of previous pandemics. This study aimed to explore the perceptions health committee members have regarding the potential impact of health information relating to COVID-19 non-pharmacological prevention behaviours, and the ability of these modalities to facilitate community participation and agency in health. Methods: A qualitative approach was taken, and health committee members from the Khayelitsha and Klipfontein health districts were invited to participate in two rounds of focus groups. Data was analysed through thematic analysis. Member checking with participants was done throughout both focus groups Results: Five overarching themes were identified, that showed that knowledge translation and sense-making of non-pharmocological behaviours detailed by the PHM information pamphlets were impacted by elements unrelated to the content and structure of the resources itself. Discussion: The study highlighted the important role of multi-modal and multi-player participation in empowering bodies such as health committees to foster the agency of their people, in making sense of health information. The study highlighted the need for congruent and equitable interventions and information dissemination, that is acutely aware of the challenges faced by health committees in related to health information itself. A neglect of these challenges proves to negate even the most accurate and evidence based health information resource, as was seen in the health committees perception of the PHM information pamphlets. Future research could serve to explore broader perceptions of community participation in health information campaigns, to further account for the unique challenges faced by communities
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    Open Access
    The pendulum of participation: exploring shifting participation of Health Committees during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Cape Town sub-districts
    (2022) Kannemeyer, Natasha; Colvin, Christopher; Haricharan, Hanne
    Community participation is a vital component of public health with meaningful participation centred around empowering communities, establishing trust and developing collaborations between community members, government, health professionals and other key stakeholders. Despite widespread acknowledgment of the importance of community participation, there are numerous barriers to meaningful participation. Power dynamics and the spaces where participation takes place impact both the level and quality of participation. This qualitative study explores how participation in health committee spaces was affected during the Covid-19 pandemic and how the relationship between the state and health committees evolved during the pandemic. Health committees are a form of institutionalised participation situated as part of primary health care clinics and consist of community representatives, clinic managers and municipal political representatives. A function of these committees is to bridge the gap between community members and health facilities. Focus group discussions were conducted with two health committees located in Gugulethu and Manenberg, two economically marginalised areas in Cape Town, South Africa. Participants in the study were comprised of health committee members. Transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Initial data analysis was inductive. Two conceptual frameworks: Arnstein's Ladder of Participation and Gaventa's notion of invited and invented spaces were used to interpret the findings. The study found that pre-Covid, the relationship between health committees and the state was limited, with little collaboration. During the pandemic, health committees responded to community needs and filled gaps in the state's reach. Subsequently, the state recognised its limits and the need for collaboration with community actors to reach communities. This brought about an opening of previously closed spaces to include health committees in more meaningful forms of participation. However, like a pendulum swinging back and forth, participation closed back down. In this context, health committees challenged the ‘invited' space and invented their own spaces for participation. A number of challenges with invited participation were identified: lack of recognition, inadequate inclusion in state decisions, planning and implementation of interventions, lack of resources and state support and power dynamics. The study concludes that health committees occupy complex spaces and places of contestation where different actors continuously negotiate the dynamics of the space. Shifting participation requires a redistribution of power, the establishment of partnerships and trust and the creation of innovative, neutral spaces for collaboration.