Daniel Widmer1, Patrick Ouvrard2, Carla Vaucher3, Blaise Guinchard4, Kumkum Bhattacharya5, Ranjit K Bhattacharya6, Madeleine Baumann4, Ilario Rossi7. 1. General Practitioner, University Institute of Family Medicine (now Department of Family Medicine, Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Switzerland. 2. General Practitioner, Société de Formation Thérapeutique du Généraliste (SFTG), France. 3. PhD student, Social Sciences and Politics Faculty (SSP), University of Lausanne, Switzerland. 4. Nurse, Professor, School of Nursing Sciences, University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, HES-SO, Switzerland. 5. Social worker, Professor, Department of Social Work, Visva-Bharati University, India. 6. Anthropologist, Former Director, Anthropological Survey of India, India. 7. Anthropologist, Professor, Social Sciences and Politics Faculty (SSP), University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: An interprofessional and cross-cultural pedagogical project in community health for students in nursing, social work, anthropology and medicine at the end of the bachelor's degree begun in 2014. After a rural context fieldwork in several Santal villages of West Bengal (India), students had to conduct a research project, based on a community-health topic. AIMS: This paper describes how such a pedagogical project, introducing students to ethnographic research, can initiate new ways of thinking for possible future health interventions in rural communities. METHODS: An inductive approach based on ethnography was used during the fieldwork, including observations, interviews, focus groups and local documentation. RESULTS: Our observations led to the finding that actions in rural health cannot be initiated without: promoting an interprofessional/interdisciplinary perspective and a culture of complexity and reflectivity; considering local populations in transition and not in a fixed homogenous situation; understanding more than imposing; taking into account local disease classification and local pragmatic solutions; considering the dialogue between bio-medicine and therapeutic pluralism; considering local perceptions and practices; considering care itineraries/pathways; and finally being conscious of our apostolic function. CONCLUSION: Our interprofessional pedagogical project promotes a bottom-up approach in dialogue with a global health vision.
BACKGROUND: An interprofessional and cross-cultural pedagogical project in community health for students in nursing, social work, anthropology and medicine at the end of the bachelor's degree begun in 2014. After a rural context fieldwork in several Santal villages of West Bengal (India), students had to conduct a research project, based on a community-health topic. AIMS: This paper describes how such a pedagogical project, introducing students to ethnographic research, can initiate new ways of thinking for possible future health interventions in rural communities. METHODS: An inductive approach based on ethnography was used during the fieldwork, including observations, interviews, focus groups and local documentation. RESULTS: Our observations led to the finding that actions in rural health cannot be initiated without: promoting an interprofessional/interdisciplinary perspective and a culture of complexity and reflectivity; considering local populations in transition and not in a fixed homogenous situation; understanding more than imposing; taking into account local disease classification and local pragmatic solutions; considering the dialogue between bio-medicine and therapeutic pluralism; considering local perceptions and practices; considering care itineraries/pathways; and finally being conscious of our apostolic function. CONCLUSION: Our interprofessional pedagogical project promotes a bottom-up approach in dialogue with a global health vision.
Authors: Jean-Bernard Daeppen; Patrick Bodenmann; Bernard Burnand; Jacques Gaume; Blaise Genton; Marie-Claude Hofner; Brenda Spencer; Daniel Widmer Journal: Rev Med Suisse Date: 2015-08-26
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