A descriptive study was conducted from October 1994 to March 1995 to document the patterns and determinants o f community p a rticipation (CP) in 25 peasant associ at ion s in Seka Chekorsa Wo r e da. An experimen tal componen to f the study tested the e ffect of participatory r e search (PR ) on t he measurement and promot ion o f CPo The study address the barri ers to fuller communities participation in health development activities despite the high demand from the health sector. Ove r half (52 . 5%) o f communi t y members rep or tedpartic ipatio n i n h ealth activ i t i e s wi t hin the preceding month . Most common forms of participation reported were contribution of labor (31.2%) or materials (11 . 9%) and attending meetings regarding health development (29 . 9%). Communities were most likely to identify more passive forms of CP, including s ervice utilization (60 . 9%), attending meetings (44.8%), and contri bution of materi a l o r l abo r (33 . 9%) Few (11.2%) indi c a ted that CP implied involvement in dec ision making and planning. Key barriers to promotion of CP in health inc luded poor c ommuni t y aware ness of roles and responsibilities, lack of technical and f inancial res ources , and lack o f strategies and orga nizational structures to promote CPo PR was ef f ective in increas~ng community awareness of CP, and in increas i ng r ates of part i c ipa t ion , including through attending mee t ~ngs and through decision making the development and planning . S:rengthening CP through of clear strateg~es and policies and decentral ization of financial and technicial resources togethe r with utilization of existing mutual self help soc ieties such a s funeral soc ieties (Edi r ) were recomended in order to improve health development programs .