Control of cattle trypanosomiasis in coastal savannah of Ghana Part I: triangulation method for mixed-mode research

Abstract

Triangulation design of mixed-mode research on control of trypanosomiasis involving Participatory Rural Appr-aisal (PRA), surveys, parasitological studies and satellite data (as a holistic approach) is presented. Trypanoso-miasis is a disease affecting human and livestock, and the multi-method research approach was adopted to anal-yse accurately information on trypanosomiasis surveys and control methods. Triangulation is based on the assu-mption that weakness in a single method would be compensated by strengths of other methods, and qualitative results were supplemented by the quantitative methods to improve validity and reliability of data. The research focussed on farmer’s production objectives, use of Berenil® to control trypanosomiasis, and satellite mapping of areas at risk of diseases for targeting predictions and control. For convergence of results, different aspects of the disease, with respect to risk areas, severity, disease location and patterns, were investigated for validity and reli-ability of trypanosomiasis survey and control by triangulation.