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This paper discusses the methods of collecting information in a field study carried out in Salvador da Bahia (Brazil) a suburb of Salvador. The study was part of a training exercise for students of the "International Course for Primary Health Care Managers at District Level in Developing Countries" based in Italy. The study also aimed to explore the potential for Primary Environmental Care and identify ways by which the local health district could support squatter communities. A rapid appraisal was carried out in three squatter communities. Secondary data was analysed, life history interviews were conducted, a "risk map" was drawn in which local participants geographically located problems, focus groups and ranking, key informant interviews, ten institutions with an interest in environmental issues were interviewed, and a feed-back meeting was held for all community members. It is concluded that RRA is well suited to study fast-changing environments, a potential danger of the exercise is taken to be undue expectation-raising of the local community. Finally "microplans" are introduced as a possible means of making RRA action oriented. Five pages are devoted to illustrations arising from the exercises.

SPEECH (Society for Peoples' Education and Economic Change) conducted a series of workshops on PRA for NGO and Government officials in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. The workshop at Manavarayanenthal focused on health, "to evolve new strategies in planning specific health projects". The training programme began with a session on the principles of PRA, followed by learning various PRA techniques in the community. Descriptions are given of each activity, including materials used, and an evaluation of the training programme as a whole. Findings are analysed in terms of the different responses of the NGO group and women's group, showing clearly the value of PRA approach in revealing the different kinds of knowledge and attitudes to health care.