The Ten Beads method: a novel way to collect quantitative data in rural Uganda

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2013.e6

  • Francis Mulekya Bwambale
    University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program, African Studies Center, MI, USA; Makerere University School of Public Health, Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care, Kampala, Uganda; University of Michigan School of Nursing, MI, USA, United States
  • Cheryl A. Moyer
    University of Michigan Medical School, MI, United States
  • Innocent Komakech
    World Health Organization, Karamoja, Uganda
  • Fred Wabwire-Mangen
    Makerere University School of Public Health, Regional Centre for Quality of Health Care, Kampala, Uganda
  • Jody R. Lori
    University of Michigan School of Nursing, MI, United States

Abstract

This paper illustrates how locally appropriate methods can be used to collect quantitative data from illiterate respondents. This method uses local beads to represent quantities, which is a novel yet potentially valuable methodological improvement over standard Western survey methods.

Keywords

survey methods, low literacy populations, developing countries, Uganda