ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a theatre based educational initiative on the knowledge and attitudes to eclampsia and its treatment in a rural Bangladeshi village. METHODS: An established theatre company, Theatre Centre for Social Development, performed scenarios regarding eclamptic pregnant women to a diverse audience of village observers. Before the performance 15 men and 15 women were randomly selected from the audience and asked a series of questions regarding eclampsia. After the performance the series of questions were repeated to the same people. RESULTS: The plays were enthusiastically received by the villagers. The level of knowledge of the villagers interviewed increased significantly after seeing the two plays. CONCLUSION: The intervention successfully raised both the awareness of eclampsia and the level of knowledge of effective treatments for eclampsia. Village theatre has shown the potential to be a very effective tool in Bangladeshi rural society.
