Understanding lay perspectives: care options for STD treatment in Lusaka, Zambia.

Understanding lay persons' perceptions of STD care is critical in the design and implementation of appropriate health services. Using 20 unstructured group interviews, 10 focus group discussions and 4 STD case simulations in selected sub-populations in Lusaka, we investigated lay person perspectives of STD services. The study revealed a large diversity of care options for STD in the communities, including self-care, traditional healers, medicine sold in the markets and streets, injections administered in the compounds, private clinics, health centres and hospital.

Community participation: the maasai health services project, Tanzania.

The Maasai Health Services Project in northern Tanzania is a primary health care undertaking in which individuals chosen by their communities are trained as providers of selected preventive and curative services, including family planning, and as facilitators of change in their areas. The communities, through the selection, support, and supervision of these community health workers (CHWs), are actively involved in every stage of project activities. This article examines in detail the process through which community management of the project is promoted.

The training component of the maasai health services project, Tanzania.

Tanzania, one of the many developing countries, has devised health policies incorporating innovative ideas and strategies toward improving primary health care. The Arusha Region has become a pilot area in investigating the potential of Community Health Workers as part of a community-based health education and service project. In designing a project strategy to respond to the different levels of training needs, several issues relevant to the structure and theory of training are included: CHW selection criteria, identification of trainers, training content, approach and methods, locale, schedule, and evaluation.