title: [Local perceptions of community participation in health in Burkina Faso].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Burkina Faso has been implementing a strategy of community participation in the health system for several years.The main objective of this strategy is to involve people in the decision-making process in order to improve the use of health services and to encourage massive support of communities for health promotion activities. Empirical data indicate a low involvement of communities in activities designed to promote participation. This article aims to identify the perceptions of local people in relation to community participation in health.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in the Tenkodo go health district, located in the administrative region of East-Center, about 190 km from the capital. This exclusively qualitative study used two data collection methods: individual interviews and focus groups. Data were collected in two health areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that communities have negative perceptions on the community participation in health strategy,which is perceived by the majority as a mechanism of exploitation of the population by health workers and members of health center management committees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These negatives perceptions of the participation strategy have a negative impact on the behaviour of communities,reflected by the very low participation rate in community activities.Urgent action is needed to revitalize the existing participation mechanisms.
authors.forename: Issa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sombié
authors.forename: Djesika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amendah
authors.forename: Kamba
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: André Soubeiga
mesh_terms: D002050:Burkina Faso; D003256:Community Participation; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010465:Perception