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. 2009 Nov;21(4):368-387.
doi: 10.1177/1525822X09341718.

Using participatory mapping to inform a community-randomized trial of HIV counseling and testing

Suzanne Maman  1 , Tim Lane  2 , Jacob Ntogwisangu  3 , Precious Modiba  4 , Heidi vanRooyen  5 , Andrew Timbe  6 , Surasing Visrutaratna  7 , Katherine Fritz  8
Affiliations

Using participatory mapping to inform a community-randomized trial of HIV counseling and testing

Suzanne Maman et al. Field methods. 2009 Nov.

Abstract

Participatory mapping and transect walks were used to inform the research and intervention design and to begin building community relations in preparation for Project Accept, a community-randomized trial sponsored by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). NIMH Project Accept is being conducted in five sites within four countries including Thailand, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Tanzania. Results from the mapping exercises informed decisions about the research design such as defining community boundaries, and identifying appropriate criteria for matching community pairs for the trial. The mapping also informed intervention related decisions such as where to situate the services. The participatory methods enabled each site to develop an understanding of the communities that could not have been derived from existing data or data collected through standard data collection techniques. Furthermore, the methods lay the foundation for collaborative community research partnerships.

Keywords: community-randomized trial; formative research; mapping; participatory research methods.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Photo of mapping process
Figure 2
Figure 2
Photo of completed map from Kisarawe, Tanzania
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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