THE ROLE OF FORMAL QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN NEGOTIATING COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE - THE CASE OF DENGUE CONTROL IN EL PROGRESO, HONDURAS

This article explores the unanticipated consequences of formative rese arch conducted as part of a dengue prevention intervention. It argues that the rapid assessment formative research was successful not only b ecause it uncovered gaps in knowledge concerning dengue and community preferences for organizing the intervention, but because it provided a n opportunity to negotiate the relevance of project activities with th e community. The significance of this negotiating process is explored by addressing Good's critique of health belief approaches in applied a nthropology. It concludes by arguing that community-based intervention research - even if narrow and self-limiting - can be successful if it negotiates a working or practical 'project' epistemology with the com munity.