What I Did
The purpose of my research was to talk to participants directly benefiting from an insecticide treated net (ITN) distribution program and understand more clearly the role health and aid programs play in their life. In order to gather this information, I conducted semi-structured interviews and observed several families perform daily tasks, such as cooking and tending to the farm animals. The language spoken throughout Cambodia is Khmer and therefore I required the aid of a translator in conducting my research. Various International Relief and Development (IRD) staff members guided me to various villages, with which they were familiar.
I designed the survey questions around five general areas - socio-economic, demographics, education level, knowledge of health issues, and use of mosquito nets. Questions were designed and redesigned during the first two weeks due to adjustment. Interviews were then modified to include other questions about attitude and knowledge of mosquito-borne diseases prior to receiving an ITN. The nature of how the question was asked was modified to decrease any bias in the question itself. The survey was modified another time during the 6 weeks. The translator translated the questions into Khmer. There were approximately 45 questions, and the interview was designed to take one hour to conduct.
Observation of general habits was a part of my assessment. I was only preliminarily aware of Cambodian culture and had never been to Kampong Chhnang province before. During my first week in the province IRD made an effort to familiarize me with their project and with the mothers. Everyday I went to a different field project and observed how the conducted the program and observe the behaviors of the mothers and children, and in some cases, the fathers or other caretakers. I attended a community health meeting, male group meeting, cooking session, weighing and measurement of children, and a drama show showcasing certain health practices. Throughout these days and activities I became more comfortable interacting with village members and began to get a feel for the flow of rural Khmer life. I came to better understand IRD’s involvement in the community and the reception villagers gave to them.
I designed the survey questions around five general areas - socio-economic, demographics, education level, knowledge of health issues, and use of mosquito nets. Questions were designed and redesigned during the first two weeks due to adjustment. Interviews were then modified to include other questions about attitude and knowledge of mosquito-borne diseases prior to receiving an ITN. The nature of how the question was asked was modified to decrease any bias in the question itself. The survey was modified another time during the 6 weeks. The translator translated the questions into Khmer. There were approximately 45 questions, and the interview was designed to take one hour to conduct.
Observation of general habits was a part of my assessment. I was only preliminarily aware of Cambodian culture and had never been to Kampong Chhnang province before. During my first week in the province IRD made an effort to familiarize me with their project and with the mothers. Everyday I went to a different field project and observed how the conducted the program and observe the behaviors of the mothers and children, and in some cases, the fathers or other caretakers. I attended a community health meeting, male group meeting, cooking session, weighing and measurement of children, and a drama show showcasing certain health practices. Throughout these days and activities I became more comfortable interacting with village members and began to get a feel for the flow of rural Khmer life. I came to better understand IRD’s involvement in the community and the reception villagers gave to them.
In the five weeks proceeding, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 families in Kampong Chhnang province, with the aid of a translator. Families were chosen based on several criteria: proximity to a malaria zone, amount of contact with IRD and those villages that received nets from the Ministry of Health. I went out into the field with an IRD staff member and my translator twice a week, interviewing 12 families a week, except for the first two weeks. The village chief or community health volunteer typically located the mothers scheduled to speak with me. I aimed to speak with the mothers in those communities who had received the nets, however several times they were not there and their husbands spoke on their behalf. Often times, family and community members would observe or contribute to our informal interviews. While the translator was questioning the families, I took notes as he translated their response in English. Additionally, I would ask other probing questions to find out more information. Each night, I would type in my notes for the day.
Several factors of my methodology may influence my results and further research. An IRD staff member arranged all the interviewees and sometimes observed the interviews, which contributes a selection bias to the process. Those interviewed may have felt the need to respond in certain ways as well. Also, on several occasions my translator would provide viable answers while mothers searched for a response. Once I realized this was occurring I made an effort to politely ask he refrain from guiding participants to certain answers, however this may contribute interview bias to my results. Responses became very similar after a few families, calling into question if the translator was being accurate and/or if the families had been prepped on what to say.
I was able to interview 44 of the 305 families selected for the distribution program, which limits the comprehensiveness of available data. IRD only worked in one province in Cambodia, and my results may not necessarily be inferable for the whole country.
Several factors of my methodology may influence my results and further research. An IRD staff member arranged all the interviewees and sometimes observed the interviews, which contributes a selection bias to the process. Those interviewed may have felt the need to respond in certain ways as well. Also, on several occasions my translator would provide viable answers while mothers searched for a response. Once I realized this was occurring I made an effort to politely ask he refrain from guiding participants to certain answers, however this may contribute interview bias to my results. Responses became very similar after a few families, calling into question if the translator was being accurate and/or if the families had been prepped on what to say.
I was able to interview 44 of the 305 families selected for the distribution program, which limits the comprehensiveness of available data. IRD only worked in one province in Cambodia, and my results may not necessarily be inferable for the whole country.