Fanny Polet1, Geraldine Malaise1, Anuschka Mahieu1, Eulalia Utrera2, Jovita Montes3, Rosalinda Tablang4, Andrew Aytin5, Erick Kambale6, Sylvie Luzala7, Daoud Al-Ghoul8, Ranin Ahed Darkhawaja9, Roxana Maria Rodriguez10, Margarita Posada11, Wim De Ceukelaire12, Pol De Vos13. 1. Project Officer at Third World Health Aid in Brussels, Belgium. 2. Coordinator of Advocates for Community Health in Manila City, Philippines. 3. Member of the national secretariat of Gabriela in Quezon City, Philippines. 4. Deputy Executive Director of the Council for Health and Development in Quezon City, Philippines. 5. Policy Officer for Third World Health Aid in Quezon City, Philippines. 6. President of Etoile du Sud in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. 7. Active member of Etoile du Sud in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. 8. Director of Youth Programs for the Health Work Committees in Jerusalem and the Kanaan Network of Palestinian civil society organizations. 9. Member of youth programs for the Health Work Committees in Jerusalem. 10. Planning, monitoring, and evaluation consultant in San Salvador, El Salvador. 11. Coordinator of the National Health Forum and at the Citizens' Alliance against the Privatization of Health, El Salvador. 12. Director of Third World Health Aid in Brussels, Belgium. 13. Researcher and Post-Graduate Course Coordinator at the Public Health Department of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium.
Abstract
Quantitative evaluations might be insufficient for measuring the impact of interventions promoting the right to health, particularly in their ability to contribute to a greater understanding of processes at the individual, community, and larger population level through which certain results are obtained. This paper discusses the application of a qualitative approach, the "most significant change" (MSC) methodology, in the Philippines, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and El Salvador between 2010 and 2013 by Third World Health Aid and its partner organizations. MSC is based on storytelling through which the central question--what changes occurred?--is developed in terms of, "who did what, when, why, and why was it important?" The approach focuses on personal stories that reflect on experiences of change for individuals over time. MSC implementation over several years allowed the organizations to observe significant change, as well as evolving types of change. Participants shifted their stories from "how the programs helped them" and "what they could do to help others benefit from the programs" to "what they could do to help their organizations." The MSC technique is useful as a complement to quantitative methods, as it is a slow, participatory, and intensive endeavor that builds capacity while being applied. This makes MSC a useful monitoring tool for programs with participatory and empowering objectives.
Quantitative evaluations might be insufficient for measuring the impact of interventions promoting the right to health, particularly in their ability to contribute to a greater understanding of processes at the individual, community, and larger population level through which certain results are obtained. This paper discusses the application of a qualitative approach, the "most significant change" (MSC) methodology, in the Philippines, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and El Salvador between 2010 and 2013 by Third World Health Aid and its partner organizations. MSC is based on storytelling through which the central question--what changes occurred?--is developed in terms of, "who did what, when, why, and why was it important?" The approach focuses on personal stories that reflect on experiences of change for individuals over time. MSC implementation over several years allowed the organizations to observe significant change, as well as evolving types of change. Participants shifted their stories from "how the programs helped them" and "what they could do to help others benefit from the programs" to "what they could do to help their organizations." The MSC technique is useful as a complement to quantitative methods, as it is a slow, participatory, and intensive endeavor that builds capacity while being applied. This makes MSC a useful monitoring tool for programs with participatory and empowering objectives.
Authors: David Akeju; Babasola Okusanya; Kehinde Okunade; Adegbenga Ajepe; Matthew J Allsop; Bassey Ebenso Journal: Front Glob Womens Health Date: 2022-02-08