Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Barry, Charlotte D.
Abstract
The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to give voice to an underserved and vulnerable population in Uganda, Africa to advocate for health priorities. Nineteen members of the village of Namagera, identified as a leper colony, were selected by community members and volunteered to participate in every element of this study. Descriptive phenomenology was the guiding philosophy and community-based participatory research methods and photovoice provided the lens for social action. Leininger’s theory of culture care diversity and universality (Leininger & McFarland, 2006) anchored the study in cultural caring and the community nursing practice model (Parker et al., 2020) kept the researcher grounded in the purpose of advancing the science of caring in community nursing. The research team included the researcher, the 19 participants, and six research assistants, who also served as language facilitators. Using photovoice methods, participants identified strengths and needs and used digital cameras to capture health concerns in the community. Eighty photos were analyzed by the participants and priorities were determined. The selected photos were placed on a photo board and shared with the whole community for input. Community members selected the health priorities and ranked them in importance: access to clean water, sanitation, disease, challenges for the elderly and disabled, lack of medical treatment, transportation, unemployment, and protection of the environment. The participants categorized the health priorities into three clusters of themes: basic needs, safety, and social/environmental. The themes were further incorporated into action plans identifying impeding factors for which the community would require outside assistance and promoting factors for which the community could solve themselves. Findings of this study illuminate the emergence of community empowerment: Community members found their voices, identified health priorities, and advocated for solutions.
Extent
168 p.
Recommended Citation
Wallin, Cheryl Finch, "IDENTIFYING HEALTH PRIORITIES FOR A VULNERABLE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY IN UGANDA, AFRICA USING COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH AND A PHOTOVOICE APPROACH" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present. 535.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/535
Identifier
FA00013562
Comments
Includes bibliography.|Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.