Mixed strategies in health education and community participation: an evaluation of dengue control in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

This paper reviews an intervention program in education and community participation in dengue and Aedes aegypti control in the Dominican Republic. Four different levels of intervention were part of a pre-test/post-test study design that examined alternatives in community participation, in breeding source reduction, use of biological controls, and information transmission through national media and health services, social networks, and directly from health educators. The effects of each level are analyzed to find the effective levels of allocation of time, resources, and program component. Finally, problems in communication and response are analyzed in light of their social and cultural context.