Kintampo Health Research Centre: Creating awareness and opinion seeking among community members and policy makers Kwaku Poku Asante

Authors K. P Asante, MD MPH C. Zandoh, MSc C. Tawiah, MSc J. Saah, MPA Cabio Casmir S. Owusu-Agyei, PhD

K. P Asante, MD MPH

C. Zandoh, MSc

C. Tawiah, MSc

J. Saah, MPA

Cabio Casmir

S. Owusu-Agyei, PhD

Outline Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) Our community members KHRC community engagement models Gaps Identified Our new model being evaluated

Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC)

Our community members

KHRC community engagement models

Gaps Identified

Our new model being evaluated

Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC)

About KHRC One of 3 Ghana Health Service Research centres Established 1994 Mandate is to conduct public health research to inform local and international policy

One of 3 Ghana Health Service Research centres

Established 1994

Mandate is to conduct public health research to inform local and international policy

About KHRC Conducts community based research Social science E.g. KAP of antimalarials Experimental studies E.g. Meningitis vaccine study Interventional studies E.g. Newborn intervention studies

Conducts community based research

Social science

E.g. KAP of antimalarials

Experimental studies

E.g. Meningitis vaccine study

Interventional studies

E.g. Newborn intervention studies

Our community members

The community: members A population of about 140000 Mainly rural with subsistent farming Two dominant ethnic group exist (Mos and Akans)

A population of about 140000

Mainly rural with subsistent farming

Two dominant ethnic group exist (Mos and Akans)

The community: governance Two systems of governance Government A district assembly of elected community members A district administration to implement government/ local assembly policies Traditional Chiefs and community elders

Two systems of governance

Government

A district assembly of elected community members

A district administration to implement government/ local assembly policies

Traditional

Chiefs and community elders

The community: stakeholders

KHRC community engagement models

KHRC – community engagement Mainly through community meetings and durbars To announce start, end or findings of research work To address issues e.g. rumours about blood draws Community meetings and durbars allow for Q and As. However, women and children may not participate in asking questions.

Mainly through community meetings and durbars

To announce start, end or findings of research work

To address issues e.g. rumours about blood draws

Community meetings and durbars allow for Q and As. However, women and children may not participate in asking questions.

KHRC – community engagement

KHRC – Media engagement

KHRC – stakeholder engagement

Gaps Identified

Gaps identified The gap Community engagement has been project specific Lack of awareness about KHRC’s research agenda Lack of awareness of KHRC’s research mandate Inadequate sustainable channels for communication between KHRC and community

The gap

Community engagement has been project specific

Lack of awareness about KHRC’s research agenda

Lack of awareness of KHRC’s research mandate

Inadequate sustainable channels for communication between KHRC and community

Current Model -Objectives To explain KHRC’s activities and research agenda in detail for target audiences. To seek, discuss and address respective audience’s perceptions, opinions and expectations of KHRC’s activities and research agenda. To strengthen KHRC’s communication unit to respond to community members and media questions with consistent messages regarding KHRC’s research activities and research agenda. To share experiences and lessons learnt with local and international research community.

To explain KHRC’s activities and research agenda in detail for target audiences.

To seek, discuss and address respective audience’s perceptions, opinions and expectations of KHRC’s activities and research agenda.

To strengthen KHRC’s communication unit to respond to community members and media questions with consistent messages regarding KHRC’s research activities and research agenda.

To share experiences and lessons learnt with local and international research community.

Current Model –target groups Community members Kintampo North and South District Assemblies (District level policy makers District Health Professionals Media Other community based departments (agriculture, education, police, non-governmental organizations, human rights

Community members

Kintampo North and South District Assemblies (District level policy makers

District Health Professionals

Media

Other community based departments (agriculture, education, police, non-governmental organizations, human rights

Current Model -Approach Preparatory phase Identify communication team Develop working message booklet Developed by RO’s in a 3 day workshop. Will contain messages about past/present studies Will be reviewed KHRC documentary 30 minute documentary to highlight KHRC research agenda and facilities In English and local languages

Preparatory phase

Identify communication team

Develop working message booklet

Developed by RO’s in a 3 day workshop.

Will contain messages about past/present studies

Will be reviewed

KHRC documentary

30 minute documentary to highlight KHRC research agenda and facilities

In English and local languages

Current Model -Approach Preparatory phase KHRC Information leaflet To outline KHRC’s agenda It’s policy on communication Will bear the contact details of KHRC Will be given out at community durbars and workshops PowerPoint presentation for workshops

Preparatory phase

KHRC Information leaflet

To outline KHRC’s agenda

It’s policy on communication

Will bear the contact details of KHRC

Will be given out at community durbars and workshops

PowerPoint presentation for workshops

Current Model -Approach Implementation Over a 6 month period Community meetings Radio discussions Workshops

Implementation

Over a 6 month period

Community meetings

Radio discussions

Workshops

Current Model –M & E Formative evaluation pre-test tools Process evaluation Workshops: short questionnaire to evaluate the outline of the workshop, clarity of presentation, discussion/opinion seeking moderation and their perception of the environment for the workshop Radio discussions Population survey (100 respondents) to evaluate the clarity of the message

Formative evaluation

pre-test tools

Process evaluation

Workshops:

short questionnaire to evaluate the outline of the workshop, clarity of presentation, discussion/opinion seeking moderation and their perception of the environment for the workshop

Radio discussions

Population survey (100 respondents) to evaluate the clarity of the message

Current Model – Process evaluation Community meetings Rappoteur will randomly select 4 community members ( 2 males, 2 females) to interview them about clarity of the message Media engagement Media reports and discussions will be monitored after the media briefing

Community meetings

Rappoteur will randomly select 4 community members ( 2 males, 2 females) to interview them about clarity of the message

Media engagement

Media reports and discussions will be monitored after the media briefing

Current Model – Outcome evaluation Outcome evaluation: Focus group discussions will be held among target groups before and after the project to evaluate the expected outcomes. A detailed report be reviewed by sponsors and other research centres. Their feedback will be documented and considered in subsequent public engagement projects.

Outcome evaluation:

Focus group discussions will be held among target groups before and after the project to evaluate the expected outcomes.

A detailed report be reviewed by sponsors and other research centres. Their feedback will be documented and considered in subsequent public engagement projects.

Key outcomes 1 Awareness of KHRC’s activities and research agenda among the community, governance structures, stakeholders. A manual of KHRC’s key messages A documentation of target audience feedback about KHRC’s activities and research agenda is established

Awareness of KHRC’s activities and research agenda among the community, governance structures, stakeholders.

A manual of KHRC’s key messages

A documentation of target audience feedback about KHRC’s activities and research agenda is established

Key outcomes 2 A strengthened KHRC’s communication unit Lessons learnt shared with other health research institutions in Ghana. These can be updated and implemented on a sustained basis.

A strengthened KHRC’s communication unit

Lessons learnt shared with other health research institutions in Ghana.

These can be updated and implemented on a sustained basis.

Acknowledgements Ghana Health Service Kintampo Health Research Centre Wellcome Trust Community members All stakeholders

Ghana Health Service

Kintampo Health Research Centre

Wellcome Trust

Community members

All stakeholders