Community participation primary health care

An initial discussion of the benefits, risks, and limitations of the community participation approach leads to analyses of the ways in which communities participate fruitfully in PHC projects (and of ways project staff can encourage such participation) and of how much participation is desirable and feasible. Various village organizational structures (committees, assemblies, leaders, community health workers) for use in organizing participation are considered, as is the time and cost needed to employ them in PHC projects; problems common to many of the projects reviewed are indicated. Finally, the effects on community participation of project elements such as flexibility and timeframe and of donor strategies and organizational characteristics are noted. Appended are a 96-item bibliography, descriptions of the 35 projects, and a discussion of methods for monitoring and evaluating community participation.