I'm still trying to understand and develop my methods section of my research, specifically I'm questioning how best to evaluate the health clinic's efforts and success in Wiamoase. As I discussed in Journal 9, I plan to use Community Capitals Research to study all aspects of the clinic. To build on this, I read a book last night that has made me aware of the value of a good survey.
I read Assessing Rural Needs last night and discovered what I've decided will be a key component of my research project. The book--written to help organizations and researchers create a good development project--focused on assessing rural communities by preparing basic survey questions that hopefully highlight major issues or concerns and make communities and service needs more comparable. The book provided some sample surveys and offered some advice on what are some good questions to ask.
To take this from theory and put it into action, I've brainstormed some questions I'll include in my survey.
1. Does the clinic have excess capacity, or is the size about right, or is it too small?
2. Is the clinic in good condition or poor condition?
3. Are it's patients mainly from around here, from communities close by, or from very distant communities?
4. Are any other facilities needed to help with the patients and work that is done here? If yes, specify _________.
5. Other than the services offered by this clinic now, are there any other services that should be developed here?
6. Is the ability of the clinic to meet the needs of the community increasing since it was established, unchanged since it was established, or decreasing since it was established?
7. Is there scheduled (bus, rail, boat, air) service to the Health Clinic? If yes, what, and how often (daily weekly)?
8. What health services does your community have? (include a list health service facilities)
9. In case of emergency or major illness, where to people generally go to get help? Name of Institution_______________. Location___________________.
10. How much time does it take to travel to (Name of Institution)? Dry season ____ Wet season___
11. How do people usually get there? _____________
12. In case of emergency is transportation available?(Always, sometimes, rarely)
Some of these question might be less usable or important than others, and they demonstrate to me that I'm still in the preliminary stages of methods development, but I'm excited for the shape my project is taking!
Some great people you might want to talk to who worked in the Clinic a lot (and could have information on the transportation system for getting to the clinic) would be Maggie Sabey and maybe Nate Jensen who went last Spring/Summer. If you have not done your methods practice yet, they would be great to interview!
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