This paper describes the data collection methods used in a longitudinal study of the coping strategies of 27 households in three villages in the study area of the MRC/ODA Research Programme on AIDS in Uganda. After pr...
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This paper describes the data collection methods used in a longitudinal study of the coping strategies of 27 households in three villages in the study area of the MRC/ODA Research Programme on AIDS in Uganda. After pre-testing and piloting, 9 local interviewers made regular visits to the 27 study households over a period of just over one year. The households were purposively selected to represent different household types and socioeconomic status categories. Data were obtained through participant observation using a checklist to ensure systematic collection of data on household activities. Debriefing sessions with the interviewers after the visits provided opportunities for the discussion of the findings and exploration of themes for further study. On the basis of the study findings, and data from the Programme's general study population survey rounds, broad indicators of household 'vulnerability' were identified. A participatory appraisal technique, 'well-being ranking', was used at the end of the study in order to test the viability of the chosen indicators. It is proposed that the example of the research method, which relied on local people not only as interviewers but also as co-investigators in the research, be used to guide future research approaches. The participation of the study community at every stage of research and design, as well as monitoring and evaluation of supportive interventions, is strongly encouraged.
Evaluations that monitor program implementation provide an empirical description of a program's services, the population served, and a method for assessing whether the program as delivered matches the conceptual m...
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Evaluations that monitor program implementation provide an empirical description of a program's services, the population served, and a method for assessing whether the program as delivered matches the conceptual model on which it is based. This article presents the Daily Contact Log (DCL), an instrument that has been used to monitor the longitudinal form and content of services delivered in several community mental health care programs for persons with chronic mental illness. The instrument is described and directions for its use are detailed. The psychometric properties of the instrument are discussed, as is its evolution in multisite applications in various mental health care settings. The usefulness of the DCL for programmatic and research purposes is outlined, as are some secondary benefits to staff who use the instrument. While the viability and versatility of the DCL as an instrument for measuring important aspects of program implementation are stressed, its appropriateness for quality assurance analyses is also suggested.
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