View courses by topic or week
Qualitative Methods in Global Infectious Diseases Research | May 27-31, 2024 
“I liked that the course started from covering the basic stuff about qualitative research, rather than skipping directly to the more advanced topics. I don't have any background in qualitative research, so that was very helpful.”
“The Qualitative Methods for Global Infectious Disease Research course was unique and rich in the way that it combined both theories, practical breakout sessions, and sharing of individual experiences both from the field and academia to make learning easy and interesting.”
“Content and delivery was top notch”
-Qualitative Methods course participants
COURSE FORMAT
In-person only. We have gladly hosted this course in an on-line format for the past three years. It is time to meet! This year, all course content will be delivered in-person online from approximately 9:00 am - 4:00 pm each day May 27-31, 2024 (exact times each day to be announced). Videos of the lectures will not be available online and will not be recorded.
DESCRIPTION
A course focused on the principles and rigorous application of qualitative methods in formative, operational, evaluation and policy research in infectious disease in diverse global settings. Teaching includes didactical lectures, dedicated periods for interactive exercises and short topical presentations and/or panel discussions. There will be opportunities to work in small groups and develop and present draft research protocols and related outputs under the mentorship of course faculty.
COURSE DIRECTORS
Amrita Daftary, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, School of Global Health, York University
Research Associate, CAPRISA, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Nora Engel, PhD
Associate Professor Global Health, Department of Health,
Ethics and Society/ CAPHRI, Faculty of Health,
Medicine and Life Sciences
Maastricht University, Netherlands
COURSE FACULTY & SPEAKERS
- Amrita Daftary, PhD– York University
- Nora Engel, PhD – Maastricht University
- Jennifer Furin, MD, PhD – Harvard University
- Joanne Mantell, PhD – Columbia University
- Tsitsi B Masvawure, PhD – Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Andy McDowell, PhD – Tulane University
- Charity Oga-Omenka – University of Waterloo
Guest speakers are still being confirmed and there may be changes to the above list.
CONTENT
Qualitative methods can assess the social and behavioural contexts, and the complex determinants, impacts and outcomes of illness and disease control efforts, including public health programs, policies, and technologies. There is growing interest to integrate qualitative methods into traditional operational and biomedical research to understand challenges to healthcare seeking behaviour and healthcare service delivery, and to better understand how and why some interventions and technologies are successfully (or less successfully) implemented and utilized. This course will build participants’ research literacy to use qualitative methods to inform, innovate, contextualize, evaluate, and strengthen the delivery and utilization of healthcare services and technologies for infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, HIV, COVID-19) in lower-and middle-income settings.
The course utilizes case studies and practical exercises to engage learners in the following topics in qualitative research:
- Study designs and methodologies
- Theoretical frameworks
- Focus groups, observation and interviews: designs, skills and implementation
- Approaches and methods for analysis
- Multiple methods: integrating and sequencing qualitative and quantitative methods
- Sampling and participant recruitment
- Data management and storage
- Ethics and evaluation criteria
- Dissemination
The course includes didactic expert lectures on qualitative study design, implementation, analysis, and dissemination, interactive group exercises to apply and practice the lessons learned, as well as short topical presentations and/or panel discussions. Each day will begin with expert lectures on qualitative study design, implementation, analysis, and dissemination; followed by group exercises to apply and practice the lessons learned as well as short topical presentations and/or panel discussions. The day will end with small group sessions to develop protocols and related outputs under the mentorship of course faculty.
OBJECTIVE
To be introduced to the principles and methods of qualitative research in the context of global infectious diseases.
TARGET AUDIENCE
- Persons with a strong interest in qualitative and mixed methods, and little/no prior experience
- Persons involved in infectious disease control programs, including program managers, innovators, and monitoring and evaluation officers
- Junior faculty, doctoral and postdoctoral fellows engaged in global health research
- Clinical researchers and residents working internationally
- Research staff, including study coordinators, with an interest in international work
- Representatives of funding and/or advocacy bodies, grant reviewers
ENROLMENT
Limited to 60 in-person participants.