Outcome and process evaluation of the PAMSCAD Supplementary Food Program at Ayeredee in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana, West Africa
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Date
1993
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Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, CA
Abstract
This research was an evaluation of the impact of a
nutrition program on women at Ayeredee in the Nkoranza
district of the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana, West Africa. As
a part of Ghana's emphasis on primary health care, the program
is aimed at improving children's nutritional status and
preventing malnutrition, disease and death. Specifically, the
Program of Action to Mitigate the Social Cost of Adjustment
(PAMSCAD) supplementary food program was examined to determine
whether the goals of the program are being met. An empowerment
agenda which focused on both process and outcome was used as
the conceptual framework for the evaluation. The objectives
were to collect descriptive data on both empowerment outcomes
and processes, to determine the relationship between the
former and the latter, and to understand in more depth the
context, process, and outcomes of the program through
qualitative interviews and observations. A total of 66 mothers
and nine service providers were involved. The results
indicated that the respondents evaluated outcomes more
positively than the processes. In terms of process, the
majority of the women were satisfied with the location and
services of the centre; but they women had mixed feelings
about the technical quality and conduct of the service
providers; and they did not have much control over the
planning and the implementation of the program. In terms of
outcome, the women were confident about the health and nutrition skills that they had acquired; they had improved
access to food; they showed a strong sense of confidence; and
they were satisfied with the program. In terms of the
relationship between process and outcome, the processes of
Provider Conduct and Self-determination were most strongly
related to the outcomes. In order to improve the efficiency of
the services at the centre, 1 identified appropriate roles for
community psychologists which entail engaging in genuine
community involvement.
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Keywords
MALNUTRITION, CHILDREN, GHANA, EMPOWERMENT, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CONDITIONS, HEALTH SURVEYS, PROTEIN DEFICIENCY, PROPHYLAXIS, PROGRAMME EVALUATION