Global Health Gateway

Research

Research in global health covers a whole breadth of fields in a million different ways - but never doubt its potential to make a large scale difference!

Defining characteristics

Research offers an opportunity to contribute to the base of knowledge related to global health, to evaluate current global health initiatives and provide new understandings of and develop unique solutions to current global health issues. The setting will depend very much upon what type of research it is (see table below). In all cases the research cycle will likely involve: conception and study design, ethics and academic approval, testing and logistical planning, study conduction, compilation and analysis of results, completed research being published and presented.

The many faces of health research

Epidemiological	Population based, using quantitative and qualitative data. Answers public health questions about disease trends, associations and prevention. Setting may involve field surveys or predominantly office-based collation of existing data. E.g. survey health of migrant children in Chinese cities to determine the leading causes of morbidity, access to health services, and perceived well-being.
Clinical	Medical practice based, using quantitative data with supplementary qualitative data mostly for interpretation and application. Answers clinical questions about disease, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. E.g. case-control study of interventions for multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) in Haiti to determine whether drug combination X is as efficacious as combination Y.
Laboratory	Basic science based, with emphasis on quantitative data. Answers technical questions about pathological changes, disease characteristics and disease-drug interface. E.g. molecular characterisation of HIV-1 envelope proteins in individuals homozygous with a particular allele to determine its influence as genetic host protection to HIV.
Social	Social science based, with use of both quantitative and qualitative data. Answers social questions about health beliefs, practices and perceptions. E.g. survey of sexual attitudes and practice among Ugandan villages to assess the relevance and efficacy of existing AIDS awareness programs

Additionally, "mixed-methods" research is very common and covers more than one of the categories above. For example, clnical research may demonstrate a the most efficacious treatment for a particular medical condition and social science research will complement this research by providing insight into the health beliefs of the people who will benefit from the treatment.

Points to Consider

Learning - Research is a great way to learn analytical skills (and get a publication on your CV). The process of planning, testing, conducting and evaluating brings insight, develops skills and reveals a perspective that is completely unique. But the attitude with which you conduct the research is even more important – be humble, and always be open to learning things that don’t fit on a spreadsheet.

Who Benefits? - If you are conducting research "in the field," remember being in a community is a privileged position that needs to be respected. Research done sensitively can bring great outcomes for the communities involved, so consider the ramifications of your research and don’t get trapped into pursuing it for its own sake. Of course, important global health research does not necessarily need to be conducted "in the field".

Role as a Health Professional

The easiest way for health professionals to be involved in research is through established academic programs. Research is frequently a part of higher degrees, including the very popular Masters of Public Health (MPH). These placements are facilitated by the institution and are typically done over 3-6 months, although often less than half the time will actually be spent in the field. Other research opportunities can be found through research institutions, though often these require at least some research experience.

Usually the most difficult part of the whole research process is finding a supervisor with whom you can do the research you are interested, so it is a huge benefit to be part of an institution that will help you set it up! The other challenge is to find funding for your research, which is also much easier if done within an academic institution.

This kind of work would suit those people who are interested in advancing health knowledge and have at least a theoretical knowledge of research tools and techniques. They need to be able to think critically and synthesise data, work as part of a team and in some cases may need to organise and direct members of a research team.

Resources

Panos - A London based NGO whose projects include connecting journalists and researchers to help academics make their work more widely known through the media: http://panos.org.uk/projects/relay/

The Steps Centre - www.steps-centre.org The STEPS Centre is a new interdisciplinary global research and policy engagement hub, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council that aims to develop a new approach to understanding, action and communication on sustainability and development

The Burnet Institute, Australia's largest virology and communicable disease research institute: www.burnet.edu.au

The Nossal Insititute which offers undergraduate and post-graduate study and research opportunities in the field of global health: www.ni.unimelb.edu.au

See the Education and Training section of our website for more information about Educational Institutions through which it is possible to be involved in research.