Horizons | Research Summary | Greater Involvement of PLHA In NGO Service Delivery: Findings From a Four-country Study

RESEARCH SUMMARY

June 2002

Greater Involvement of PLHA in NGO Service Delivery: Findings From a Four-country Study

Study Methods

Researchers from each of the four countries collected data via qualitative and quantitative methods, including individual and group interviews, focus group discussions, observation, service statistics, and a questionnaire. The study recruited 745 individuals, including HIV-negative and -positive service users, NGO staff and volunteers, and such key informants as policymakers, health professionals, and community leaders. In all four countries, PLHA were involved in the participating NGOs as service providers, service users, or both.

Identifying the types of PLHA involvement

The research teams used the following criteria to examine how PLHA are involved in NGOs.

Time spent on and regularity of activities.
Remuneration: financial (salary, allowance, reimbursement of travel costs), material (food, medicines), technical (training), or psychological (social support and counseling).
Skills used.
Skills development provided by the organization.
Scope and autonomy of decision making.
Level of visibility: internal (within the NGO) and external (outside the NGO).

PLHA represented about half of study participants in India and Zambia, 35 percent in Ecuador, and 15 percent in Burkina Faso. Table 1 summarizes the number of participating NGOs and research sites and the type and number of respondents per country.

Table 1 Characteristics of study sites and populations
Country	# of NGOs	Study sites	Respondents
Country	# of NGOs	Study sites	Service providers (staff of volunteers)	Service users	Relatives of PLHA providers	Key informants
Burkina Faso	5	1 urban and semi-rural 4 urban	103	19	5	49
Ecuador	4	4 urban	*115		5	52
India	4	1 urban and semi-rural 3 urban	48	82	2	10
Zambia	4	1 rural 1 urban and semi-rural 2 urban	101	115	7	34
*In Ecuador, the researchers did not distinguish between service providers and service users because many HIV-positive service providers are also service users.

The research teams used a participatory approach throughout the study. The NGOs in each country were actively involved in study design, implementation, and validation and interpretation of the findings. An orientation workshop held at the start of the study in each country familiarized the NGOs with basic research concepts; discussed the study rationale, relevance, and process; and adapted the methodology and tools to the national context. The teams also conducted a data analysis and interpretation workshop with the participating NGOs in each country to discuss the findings and to identify strategies to increase PLHA involvement.

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See Also

For additional information please contact:
Horizons
Population Council
4301 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 280
Washington, DC 20008
Telephone: +1 202 237 9400
Facsimile: +1 202 237 8410
E-mail: horizons@popcouncil.org

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This page updated
19 Oct 2007