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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Keiko Goto, PhD, Visiting Fellow, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, 5603 Olive Street, Anderson, CA 97006, Jennifer Sarah Tiffany, PhD, Director, HIV/AIDS Education Project, Cornell University, Family Life Development Center, Beebe Hall, First Floor, Ithaca, NY 14853, 607-255-1942, jst5@cornell.edu, and Gretel Pelto, PhD, Professor of Nutritional Anthropology, Cornell University, Division of Nutritional Sciences, MVR Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853.

Background: The conceptualizations and uses of participatory approaches in health and development vary across different organizations and contexts. Our study examined diverse perspectives regarding Participatory Action Research (PAR) among youth PAR researchers and project managers who participated in UNICEF's “What Every Adolescent Has a Right to Know”(RTK) HIV/AIDS prevention initiative.

Methods: Q-methodology guided our approach to gathering and analyzing data. 18 youth participatory action researchers and 12 project managers from youth organizations involved in the RTK initiative in the Caribbean participated. A collection of Q-samples was assembled in a mainly naturalistic way by selecting statements from participants elicited during in-depth interviews conducted prior to the Q-sorting activities. Agreement/disagreement with these statements was ranked on a 7 point scale. Each participant was interviewed immediately after ranking the statements. Data analysis was conducted using the centroid method and varimax rotation to form groups of participants based on similar ranking patterns. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed.

Results: Factor analysis of convergent and divergent responses generated three groups of respondents: those who believed in the effective use of PAR in HIV/AIDS education; those who perceived PAR as an empowering process and considered research participants to be change agents; and those who saw PAR as useful to gathering data on the gap between knowledge and behavior among youth.

Conclusions: Our research shows diverse perspectives on the use of PAR in HIV/AIDS prevention, and assists with conceptualizing the potential for different ways PAR can contribute to the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to
• recognize applications of Q methodology in research regarding health education and behavior and
• identify diverse perspectives on the use of PAR in HIV/AIDS prevention that emerged from the presented research.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Participatory Action Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation