The production of reliable data remains a direct requirement for guiding public health decisions in Haiti, where structural constraints, insecurity and limited access to information influence health behaviors.
In this context, Zanmi Lasante’s research department contributed to the Mercury project, a multi-country study conducted with teams in Rwanda and Malawi, focusing on the flow of information related to COVID-19 and its influence on practices at community level.
The work carried out in Haiti analyzes how community health workers receive, interpret and use messages sent by telephone, while taking into account the factors that structure their environment, including trust, informal information networks and constraints on access to official channels.
Data collection took place in Plateau-Central and Saint-Marc among 175 community health workers and 640 community members, with quantitative surveys on knowledge, attitudes and perceptions, complemented by in-depth qualitative interviews focusing on preconceived ideas related to COVID-19 and mental health.
The scheme is based on a clear interdisciplinary organization, with the research department in charge of coordination and analysis, community teams mobilized for participant engagement, the health information system for data management, and logistical and financial teams for operational deployment. Fifteen interviewers were trained and equipped with digital tools to ensure data collection, while analysis was carried out using standard quantitative and qualitative research software.
The results show that COVID-19-related behavior remains strongly linked to trust dynamics, with populations relying heavily on word-of-mouth, radio and informal social networks, which also participate in the circulation of inaccurate information about vaccines, the origin of the disease or its severity.
Community health workers occupy a central position in this environment, their proximity to communities facilitating the dissemination of validated information and the adoption of preventive practices. Messages received by telephone have helped to improve their knowledge and strengthen their role in educating populations.
In the field, some agents expressed hesitation about vaccination due to persistent rumors, particularly related to fertility, before gradually integrating reliable information into their community activities after receiving structured content.
The data also identified gaps in the evolution of mental health knowledge, leading to joint work with the teams concerned to develop new studies focusing on depression, alcohol consumption and suicidal behavior.
Implementation of the project required constant adjustments due to security and logistical constraints, with blocked roads, delayed travel and altered itineraries, while maintaining collection targets thanks to enhanced coordination between teams.
Collaboration with teams in Rwanda and Malawi enabled results to be compared and the methodological quality of the project to be strengthened, while making the most of local expertise. The Haitian team contributed to the training of the other sites in qualitative approaches, including interview and analysis techniques, and strengthened its capacities in quantitative analysis and scientific writing.
This work produces data that can be directly mobilized to adapt interventions, structure public health messages and orient programmatic priorities according to the realities observed in the field.
Data production in Haiti requires resources, close coordination and a capacity for constant adaptation. This work enables us to adjust interventions and improve the quality of services offered to communities.Supporting Zanmi Lasante means supporting an approach that relies on concrete data to guide decisions and strengthen the healthcare system.