The Community Dialogue Approach was developed by Malaria Consortium and is based on the Integrated Model of Communication for Social Change. This is an iterative process of community dialogue and collective action that produces social change in communities, helping to improve the health and welfare of all of their members.
Community-based volunteers are trained to facilitate regular community meetings. Specific health problems affecting the community are explored, local solutions are identified, and participants collectively decide and plan how best to address the issues.
The approach is embedded within existing community and health structures, allowing for social accountability and technical oversight. It is designed to empower individuals and, over time, strengthen the relationship between communities and health service providers.
This approach has been used successfully in multiple contexts to improve the uptake of health services and promote the adoption of positive health behaviours for a range of health issues.
Our briefing note on the use of One Health and community engagement to tackle antimicrobial resistance features the findings of two studies conducted in Bangladesh. It offers recommendations for policymakers, practitioners and researchers.
