No description available.

No description available.

An increasingly popular method of collecting scientific data is to use citizen scientists in community-based monitoring programs. Numerous formal and community-based monitoring programs use butterflies as indicator species to detect and understand changes in ecosystems. A butterfly monitoring program was established with the City of Kitchener in 2012, in order to measure the effectiveness of citizen science observations in identifying butterfly assemblages. Two monitoring sites were used: Lakeside Park contained relatively simple butterfly habitats, and Huron Natural Area which included complex butterfly habitats. The program consisted of training volunteers to collect data on the butterfly assemblages. Volunteers were given the choice to monitor an established trail at either natural area once every two weeks from the beginning of May to the end of August using the modified Pollard method. It was important to train volunteers how to monitor butterflies, so they were required to attend an instruction workshop to learn the methods to be employed, identification of butterflies, use of the recording form, and proper net and butterfly handling techniques. Quality control measures were another important component of the program, and included comparing volunteer observations at each natural area to those collected by an expert. Each species observation was reviewed to determine the likelihood of the species observation. The species and its habitat were compared to the information and status recorded in The Butterflies of Waterloo Region. The data collected by the participants was analyzed separately by study site and included the calculation of species richness, Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H), evenness value, Simpson Index (D), and Simpson Reciprocal (1/D) values. A two-tailed t-test was conducted to compare the data (as represented by Shannon indexes) collected by volunteers and the expert. The species richness for Lakeside Park was 29, which was slightly higher than the 26 species identified at Huron Natural Area. However, the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H), evenness value (E), Simpson Diversity Index (D), and Simpson Reciprocal Index (1/D) all demonstrated that there was a more even and diverse butterfly population at Huron Natural Area than at Lakeside Park. A high level of validity of volunteer observations was found during this study, as 93% of submitted observations at Lakeside Park and 94% of submitted observations at Huron Natural Area passed the review process. Based on the high level of validity of observations it was determined that the volunteers were successful in characterizing butterfly assemblages, and establishing baseline conditions at each site. The City of Kitchener will be collecting long-term butterfly data, which they can compare over time to provide insight into the diversity at these natural areas. This research program has contributed to the field of science and to the literature by establishing a review process for citizen science, particularly for butterfly programs. It has also provided further validation of citizen science data.

Host factors can have important consequences for HIV risk and disease progression. Two separate projects relevant to Aboriginal populations in Manitoba were undertaken. The Solvent Use Project investigated solvent use in Winnipeg through an interdisciplinary multi-phase approach that integrated community based research and basic science. From interviews with solvent users and key informants we learned that solvent users experience many health and social disparities. We demonstrated that there is support within the community to work with solvent users and study solvent use further. The HLA-B*35 Project aimed to identify the diversity of HLA-B*35 allele subtypes, in HIV+ patients that presented to care between 2007 and 2010 in Manitoba. We observed 11 distinct HLA-B*35 allele subtypes. Case studies reflected the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people infected with HIV in Manitoba, and the pressing issues of either late presentation to care or rapid disease progression within patients who are HLA B*35.

The North-West Province has the fifth highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country and has an estimated HIV prevalence of 22.9%. On the 24th November 1999 cabinet approved a special allocation of funds to finance a National integrated programme in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They involved Departments of Social Services, Health, Education and Agriculture. The plan comprised three main components, which included the implementation of Home Community Based Care models for children and youth infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The North-West Province was one of the provinces identified to pilot the programme and funds were allocated for the establishment of the programme. This study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the quality of services provided by the Home Community Based Care Programme to people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. An empirical survey as well as a literature study was undertaken to determine whether the caregivers that are part of the Home community based care programme play their set role. Forty-five beneficiaries of the programme were randomly selected as respondents. An evaluative research design was utilised to test the progress of the Programme and check whether the programme is consistent with programme design specifications. A structured self-administered coded questionnaire with descriptive questions was developed and self administered to 45 respondents in Ikageleng Location in Zeerust who were randomly selected from a list of beneficiaries. The findings of the study indicated that caregivers who are part of the Home Community Based Care Programme play their set role. The programme provides good quality services to beneficiaries. The programme provides palliative care services, material support, care and support services, awareness and education and income generation. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The North-West Province has the fifth highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country and has an estimated HIV prevalence of 22.9%. On the 24th November 1999 cabinet approved a special allocation of funds to finance a National integrated programme in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic. They involved Departments of Social Services, Health, Education and Agriculture. The plan comprised three main components, which included the implementation of Home Community Based Care models for children and youth infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The North-West Province was one of the provinces identified to pilot the programme and funds were allocated for the establishment of the programme. This study was undertaken with the aim of assessing the quality of services provided by the Home Community Based Care Programme to people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. An empirical survey as well as a literature study was undertaken to determine whether the caregivers that are part of the Home community based care programme play their set role. Forty-five beneficiaries of the programme were randomly selected as respondents. An evaluative research design was utilised to test the progress of the Programme and check whether the programme is consistent with programme design specifications. A structured self-administered coded questionnaire with descriptive questions was developed and self administered to 45 respondents in Ikageleng Location in Zeerust who were randomly selected from a list of beneficiaries. The findings of the study indicated that caregivers who are part of the Home Community Based Care Programme play their set role. The programme provides good quality services to beneficiaries. The programme provides palliative care services, material support, care and support services, awareness and education and income generation. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

In Uganda there is a gap between the coverage of cARV programs and the number of people who require treatment. Community-based initiatives are necessary to scale-up cARV programs. Healers have been shown to be able to play a role in other aspects of HIV care including prevention. This study assessed the potential to include healers in Kabarole district in community-based cARV programs to increase program coverage in this rural area. We completed 219 questionnaires and quantified knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitude towards HIV/AIDS patients, previous experience in collaborating with conventional medical care, and willingness to collaborate to provide cARVs to their villagemates. Multivariate modeling identified characteristics of types of healers that may make them more suitable for collaboration. Qualitative analysis indicated that both healers and health care workers would be willing to work together to try and improve care for HIV/AIDS patients. / Global Health

Ecotourism emerged as an alternative form of tourism in the 1990s to mitigate the faults of conventional (mass) tourism in meeting the needs of sustainable development. It has since become widespread in Thailand and is adopted not only in natural areas but also in rural communities. Key elements of ecotourism include a focus on ecological resources, sustainable management, environmental education, and community participation. Community participation receives a high degree of consideration among developers in Thailand. Ecotourism (ET) is seen to support this concept and is increasingly geared in the direction of social development. These trends form the backdrop to this study on community participation in ecotourism development. The study applies a triangulation methodology to collect data by combining both qualitative and quantitative methods, combining theory and empirical study to analyse the context of how local people have participated in ecotourism development. The study pays particular attention to the practices and opinions of local people in recognition of communities' rights and responsibilities in controlling their own development. The empirical study was carried out at two levels, including a general survey by postal questionnaire (thirty-one respondents) and in-depth study in four areas (Umphang, Khiriwong, Sasom and Tha Madua). The research merges theory and practice into an analysis and empirical presentation throughout the study. Theoretically, the thesis is informed by political economy and political ecology approaches, together with the concept of participation in community development and tourism development models. The research found that many communities achieve a degree of self-management in offering tourism services such as homestays, guided tours, cultural performances and cultural products. Community ecotourism organisations have been established in most communities in order to serve these new activities and to create a collective management process. Similarities in pattern and differentiation in practices among many communities were supported by different outside initiatives, developed according to similar aims and involving similar processes, but there is no uniformity or single model that is effectively applied to all communities. One significant barrier for local communities to take a major role in ecotourism is the access to ecotourism resources, which are mostly located in protected areas and are controlled by state agencies. This has led them to promote primarily their own cultural resources. Consequently, these practical changes have led to a transformation of the dominant development concept from Ecotourism (ET) to Community-based Ecotourism (CBET). Results also show that most practices involve a level of cooperation in decision-making and action with other stakeholders who are in a better position to run tourism businesses. It is difficult for local communities to be empowered to control the whole situation, which is sometimes claimed to be the ultimate goal level of local participation. The demands of marketing and conflict in management among local people, together with the limitations in accessing natural resources, are the weakest points of and constraints on the communities. To deal with these limitations, communities try to create relationships with outsiders. To develop better management of community tourism, many communities rely on help and support from outside, especially from government agencies. This, however, impels the community to become dependent on outsiders. It is also hard for communities to generate a high level of income offering basic services, since there are many levels of demand from different types of ecotourists. In summary, the main contributions of this study are: an understanding of community tourism in Thailand; the experiences of ecotourism development in the community from the leading case studies; directions, roles and responsibilities of actors and community organisations in particular; a range of options for community action in support of a more participatory process in ecotourism development. Last but not least is a set of recommendations for community-based ecotourism development from the level of policy application to practical improvement at the community level.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, November, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1991. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [133]-158).