Community Based Participatory Research, a model for health promotion

Current traditional research methods for solving social problems were challenged due to limited participation of community. The health companion project was carried out with the aim of determining effective model of community participation for solving health problems in Boyerahmad and Dena township.. This study is a community based participatory research performed in Kohgiloyeh and Boyerahmad province 2005-2009. The study population was the entire rural and urban households of Boyerahmad and Dena county. The strategic committee of project including academic researchers، managers of health and health related sectors was formed and this committee selected six regions for research activities. In each region local directing group; «health companion» was established with participation of stakeholders: academic researchers، local leaders، health providers and public representatives to guide all aspects of project. The members of the group empowered and enabled by attending training workshops for need assessment، priority setting، research methodology that through these activities the health problem priorities of the regions were recognized، the research area determined and intervention programs were designed and implemented according to these research area. The most important achievement of this project is the methods of activities to reaching goals. Implementation of six participatory interventional proposal for solving health problems and needs are the other achievement. The frequency and means of health problems and their risk factors significantly reduced after the completion of intervention program in each region. Establishing and activities of health companion groups followed model of Planned Approach to Community Health (PATCH) that help community to form health promotion team، collecting and organizing of data، choosing health priorities، developing a comprehensive intervention plan and evaluation.