Ecosystem research experience with two indigenous communities of Colombia : the ecohealth calendar as a participatory and innovative methodological tool
Date
2016
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Abstract
Eco-bio-social factors may increase or decrease a community’s susceptibility to vector-borne disease
transmission. Traditional studies have contributed information about the association between eco-bio-social
factors and health outcomes, but few have provided this information in an integrative way characterizing
annual dynamics among indigenous communities. Transdisciplinary research was conducted with the Bari of
Karikachaboquira and the Wayu´u of Marbacella and El Horno, using qualitative and participatory methods,
including seasonal graphics, semi-structured interviews, geo-referencing routes, and participatory observation.
The information was triangulated and discussed with local actors in order to validate and complement the
results. An ecohealth calendar was obtained for each community, linking the socioecological dynamics to
specific diseases, especially malaria. Local dynamics can change, depending on environmental conditions, and
these determine the presence or absence of diseases. For both communities, the rainy season is the period with
the greatest proliferation of mosquitoes (including Anopheles spp.), during which malaria cases occur. The
ecohealth calendar integrates eco-bio-social information from local communities, through participatory and
potentially empowering processes, into a comprehensive layout. This can break down the conceptual,
demographic, and cultural barriers in the context of community-based interventions and research to action
based on an ecosystem framework.
Description
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Journal Article (peer-reviewed)
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Text
Keywords
ECOHEALTH CALENDAR, VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES, SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OF COLOMBIA, ECO-BIO-SOCIAL
Citation
SantoDomingo, A.F., Castro-Díaz, L., & González-Uribe, C. (2016). Ecosystem Research Experience with Two Indigenous Communities of Colombia: The Ecohealth Calendar as a Participatory and Innovative Methodological Tool. EcoHealth, 1-11. doi:10.1007/s10393-016-1165-1