Spread the word.

August 22, 2008 6:20 AM

Where can I download health-related educational materials to distribute in rural Peru?

Does anyone know a resource for educational materials suitable for semiliterate and illiterate people (i.e. with lots of easily-understood graphics). living in the third world

I'm guessing there must be a multilingual database somewhere (the UN?) from which I can download fliers relating to topics like good personal hygiene, eating properly, proper condom usage, childbirth techniques (in case they missed the latter), infant care, clean water, etc.

I’m traveling to some remote South American villages in a few weeks and I’d like to do my best to dispel some common myths or misunderstandings about a lot of these topics. From what I see, a good amount of the sickness in these places would be preventable with nutrition and attention to basic cleanliness/sanitation. I’d like to have some material handy for distribution so will bring along some print-outs.

Any idea of good resources?

Spanish-language materials are ideal.

posted by mateuslee to health & fitness (8 comments total)

Yup. "Where There is No Doctor," which you can get in English, Spanish, or both. Actually, it's available in lots and lots of languages. It's terrific, has a lot of illustrations, and explains things really well. I used to work in rural Amazonian Peru, and it served me and the community I lived in quite well.
posted by cachondeo45 at 6:41 AM on August 22, 2008

Also, http://www.metafilter.com/65390/Where-there-is-no-doctor.
posted by orthogonality at 6:43 AM on August 22, 2008

First, how much cultural research have you done regarding the particular region of Peru you are heading towards? Do you know the styles of communication, literacy rates in Spanish and Quecha? Are you familiar with the change agent process of the culture? Further, have you researched if there are already programs in that area or region doing the exact same thing? Have you analyzed how the recipients of your knowledge going to receive and utilize the knowledge?

Second, if you are planning to distribute material have you thought about the international document design and information issues.

Third, are you fluent in Spanish or Quecha and able determine the variety of spanish material is coming to you or you are distributing?

I am not trying to be a downer but I have seen some cultural faux pas committed by the well intentioned and actually achieved the opposite of intended i.e., oppositional responses from the audience.
posted by jadepearl at 8:04 AM on August 22, 2008 [2 favorites]

I think this is one of those areas where you can be very good-intentioned and still come off sounding insensitive. Health education is all very well, but most of these people will not have the resources to carry out the suggestions you are educating them about. For example, personal hygiene and sanitation is rather difficult to maintain without access to running water or toilets. I'm not sure about the conditions in Peru, but at least in Indian villages any person teaching villagers how to "eat properly" would not be appreciated -- people can only eat what they can afford to and what's in season. The problem I have with most of this is pretty simple -- it seems to assume that poor villagers don't adhere to the same health practices you and I do merely because they are ignorant and don't know any better -- while I suggest that the bigger problem is that they don't have the resources to adopt better health practices, even when they are aware of them.
posted by peacheater at 9:19 AM on August 22, 2008 [1 favorite]

I agree with jadepearl and peacheater: it is a tricky ground. My copy of Where There is No Doctor was really for myself: I successfully diagnosed myself with giardia and excema because of the terrific explanations and illustrations in that book. Because I had a copy in Spanish, some people would borrow it on occasion to check a rash or a symptom that a baby had. Since there was no doctor in this village at the time, it worked pretty well, although I would not proffer advice on things that I didn't know about, nor would I suggest methods of prevention of particular diseases or illnesses that I was unfamiliar with. And not only that, common myths and misunderstandings are often deeply entrenched in cultural lore that you would be hard pressed to dispel, especially considering that Peruvians will doubtfully trust someone who is there for only a few weeks and is unfamiliar with their life style and cultural practices. Furthermore, I found that some "myths" actually had some foundation in truth, and keep in mind that we have several myths and misunderstandings of our own about certain illnesses or viruses. I guess my whole point is to recommend that you tread lightly and gently, while keeping in mind warnings and advice given here by jadepearl and peacheater.

Another thing is that in Peru, certain gifts are quite valuable and while you are concerned with community health, a few weeks is hardly time sufficient to learn about, understand, and internalize culture, society, and language. Perhaps you may make a bigger impact by bringing notebooks, pencils, erasers, t-shirts, and vicks. In my experience, school supplies, clothing, and random household items (vicks is the cure-all for everything there) including food like rice or sugar are quite valuable, and greatly appreciated. That way you can avoid any kind of cultural faux pas or potentially injuring miscommunication.
posted by cachondeo45 at 12:02 PM on August 22, 2008

Thank you for your answers - let me clarify a few points - I'm going to be in this village for a great deal more than a few weeks. Yes, I speak Spanish and some Aymara. I know this may seem culturally insensitive, in principle - but if one approaches it correctly without a holier-than-thou attitude, I think it can come across correctly. There are of course folk remedies which really do help (I know this first-hand, thanks to some tea varieties) - but, for example, people _would definitely_ benefit from contraception methodology (which is taught in the recommended book, BTW) as well as other tips regarding infant nutrition, etc. Look, I'm not going to give the book out to anyone with a pulse, just those who are interested. I think that's the key to keep in mind (though I understand your concern)
posted by mateuslee at 1:53 PM on August 24, 2008

@ Jadepearl:

First, how much cultural research have you done regarding the particular region of Peru you are heading towards? PLENTY. I AM DOING FIELDWORK THERE.

Do you know the styles of communication, literacy rates in Spanish and Quecha? YES, THOUGH QUECHUA IS IRRELEVANT - THIS IS IN A PROMINENTLY AYMARA REGION.

Are you familiar with the change agent process of the culture? YES

Further, have you researched if there are already programs in that area or region doing the exact same thing? YES!

Have you analyzed how the recipients of your knowledge going to receive and utilize the knowledge?

YOU SEEM RATHER OPPOSED TO GIVING PEOPLE ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAT CAN HELP THEM LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES! I WAS ONLY ASKING FOR RESOURCES!
posted by mateuslee at 1:57 PM on August 24, 2008

First, ease up on the all caps. Second, I ask these questions because the tone of your question had some lady bountiful tones and third, do not ascribe to me beliefs that I do not posess. Is this the smooth ways you plan to carry with you because, I could interpret your final statement as quite rude. I could interpret the accusation as saying that I have malicious intent as if, like the bad villain that I am, of depriving you, the sturdy field worker hero, the chance to, "help them live healthier lives". My, what a bad villain I am for simply asking if you are prepared; thinking of the cultural sensitivity issues and consider technique. I apologize for being a downer, take that back, I am not sorry for asking a stranger on the internet their thought processes before they go on a journey.

I am sure that your mileage may vary, I know mine has.
posted by jadepearl at 6:48 PM on August 24, 2008