title: Participatory approach to identify interventions to improve the health, safety, and work productivity of smallholder women vegetable farmers in the Gambia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper describes the qualitative, community-based participatory approach used to identify culturally-acceptable and sustainable interventions to improve the occupational health, safety, and productivity of smallholder women vegetable farmers in The Gambia (West Africa).
  
  
  METHODS
  This approach was used to conduct: 1) analysis of the tasks and methods traditionally used in vegetable production, and 2) selection of interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most arduous garden tasks that were amenable to interventions were identified, and the interventions were selected through a participatory process for further evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors contributing to the successful implementation of the participatory approach used in this study included the following: 1) ensuring that cultural norms were respected and observed; 2) working closely with the existing garden leadership structure; and 3) research team members working with the subjects for an extended period of time to gain first-hand understanding of the selected tasks and to build credibility with the subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: Londa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vanderwal
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rautiainen
authors.forename: Marizen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Rex
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuye
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peek-Asa
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Kennith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Culp
authors.forename: Kelley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Donham
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health; D012449:Safety; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014675:Vegetables