Background
to the
Research
- The Chinese Lay Health Project
is the only health project in Northern Ireland which focuses on minority
ethnic health issues.
- In 1998, CWA alongside Barnardos
carried out an evaluation of the project from the point of view of
users and clients, non-users, project workers and management, as well
as workers in other sectors who came into contact with the project.
Research
Approach
- Informal interviews were carried out with
a range of respondents from the 6 category indicated above (n = 57).
Main
Findings
- Clients/users expressed a high level of
satisfaction with the Project, repeated requests from more Lay Health
Worker time or more Workers is a good indication that the work and
approach of the Project is acceptable to the community.
- Many individuals needing support have
been self-referred.
- There was a very clear view among professionals
that the Lay Health Workers worked hard and effectively with them
on their clients' behalf.
- A third of non-users had heard of the
Project, virtually all non-users were interested in the Project and
thought it would be useful to them or their families.
- Shared language and a mutual understanding
of the cultural context of the clients' lives were seem as important
features of the Projects' acceptability and accessibility to the Chinese
and Vietnamese communities.
- Responses by users as to why other women
in the community might not use the Project included lack of time because
of work, the pressures of child-care, uncertainty about the Project,
fear of loss of privacy and lack of awareness of the Project.
- A high level of isolation was described
by many non-users, many of whom lived outside the current remit of
the Lay Health Workers.
- Several professionals commented on the
flexibility of the Lay Health Workers' response to felt need. Health
and social workers were equally as explicit about the way the Lay
Health Workers enhanced the quality of their work with members of
the community.
- Management within HPSS felt that the Project
acted as a catalyst for change; one stated it had helped her Board
to commence a process of responding in policy terms to the needs of
minority ethnic groups.
- A series of connections between CWA and
the Project exist, and communication was frequent and effective.
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