Jardim Primavera: applications of anthropological procedures to the assessment of programmes of nutrition and primary health care in a suburban community of Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This paper reports on an anthropological investigation in a low-income suburban and semi-rural community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The RAP (rapid assessment procedures) methodology was employed to assess the primary health care systems being used in an attempt to understand their functions and logic and to assess the impact of primary health care in the community. In a community such as Jardim Primavera, a rapid assessment could give the impression that a lack of resources and the transition from a rural to an urban setting are basic problems that could be alleviated by education, project planning, and funds. As is pointed out, however, the problems are greater and much more complex. -from Authors