The health analysis cycle : working with women's groups to promote health in the community

This paper considers the reasons behind the under-utilisation of the health care system in Eastern Nepal and it then presents an alternative approach to health action with women's groups. The Health Analysis Cycle (HAC) enables both literate and illiterate Nepalese women to examine their health and environmental situations. The HAC conceives health in a socio-environmental context and allows women to consider their own beliefs surrounding health and illness, exchange knowledge, and plan and take action for themselves. The paper details the steps involved in piloting the health analysis cycle with women's groups providing a detailed description of the process and the context within which it is implemented.