Working with the Maya Community: Health Assessment Study
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Authors
Rodlach, Alexander
Issue Date
2012-02-02
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Abstract
Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim approached faculty at Creighton and the College of Saint Mary to assist them with designing a health assessment study. Following the Participatory Action Research model, in which all stakeholders collaborate on equal terms, we jointly designed with the Maya community a study exploring the health needs of the community. The ongoing health assessment study would have never come to fruition if both the Maya community and the academic community had not already been mutually involved, trusted each other, and had the opportunity to discuss together issues of common interest. We argue that the existence of “communicative spaces” is crucial for the development of community-based participatory studies. We hope that this study will not only document health concerns and issues of the Mayas living in Omaha but also help make the Maya community voice heard in the city of Omaha and inform programs intended to alleviate the community’s health needs. This collaborative study of Maya and university researchers should be a solid step toward meeting the community’s health needs and building its capacity to address health issues faced by members of the community.
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Creighton University