Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future
The coronavirus pandemic that began in December 2019, has had an unprecedented impact on the global economy, health systems and infrastructure, in addition to being responsible for significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. The “new normal” has brought along, unforeseen challenges for the scient...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1309089/full |
| _version_ | 1797290143475826688 |
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| author | Rubina Mulchandani Rubina Mulchandani Tanica Lyngdoh Sheetal Gandotra H. S. Isser Rajinder K. Dhamija Ashish Kumar Kakkar |
| author_facet | Rubina Mulchandani Rubina Mulchandani Tanica Lyngdoh Sheetal Gandotra H. S. Isser Rajinder K. Dhamija Ashish Kumar Kakkar |
| author_sort | Rubina Mulchandani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The coronavirus pandemic that began in December 2019, has had an unprecedented impact on the global economy, health systems and infrastructure, in addition to being responsible for significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. The “new normal” has brought along, unforeseen challenges for the scientific community, owing to obstructions in conducting field-based research in lieu of minimizing exposure through in-person contact. This has had greater ramifications for the LMICs, adding to the already existing concerns. As a response to COVID-19 related movement restrictions, public health researchers across countries had to switch to remote data collections methods. However, impediments like lack of awareness and skepticism among participants, dependence on paper-based prescriptions, dearth of digitized patient records, gaps in connectivity, reliance on smart phones, concerns with participant privacy at home and greater loss to follow-up act as hurdles to carrying out a research study virtually, especially in resource-limited settings. Promoting health literacy through science communication, ensuring digitization of health records in hospitals, and employing measures to encourage research participation among the general public are some steps to tackle barriers to remote research in the long term. COVID-19 may not be a health emergency anymore, but we are not immune to future pandemics. A more holistic approach to research by turning obstacles into opportunities will not just ensure a more comprehensive public health response in the coming time, but also bolster the existing infrastructure for a stronger healthcare system for countries. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:16:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-80599ac0e23c4a0fa22e08f3773da629 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:16:10Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-80599ac0e23c4a0fa22e08f3773da6292024-02-29T13:32:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652024-02-011210.3389/fpubh.2024.13090891309089Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the futureRubina Mulchandani0Rubina Mulchandani1Tanica Lyngdoh2Sheetal Gandotra3H. S. Isser4Rajinder K. Dhamija5Ashish Kumar Kakkar6Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India, Gurgaon, IndiaAcademy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, IndiaDivision of Reproductive, Child Health and Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, IndiaInstitute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Cardiology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Neurology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, University of Delhi, New Delhi, IndiaPost Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, IndiaThe coronavirus pandemic that began in December 2019, has had an unprecedented impact on the global economy, health systems and infrastructure, in addition to being responsible for significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. The “new normal” has brought along, unforeseen challenges for the scientific community, owing to obstructions in conducting field-based research in lieu of minimizing exposure through in-person contact. This has had greater ramifications for the LMICs, adding to the already existing concerns. As a response to COVID-19 related movement restrictions, public health researchers across countries had to switch to remote data collections methods. However, impediments like lack of awareness and skepticism among participants, dependence on paper-based prescriptions, dearth of digitized patient records, gaps in connectivity, reliance on smart phones, concerns with participant privacy at home and greater loss to follow-up act as hurdles to carrying out a research study virtually, especially in resource-limited settings. Promoting health literacy through science communication, ensuring digitization of health records in hospitals, and employing measures to encourage research participation among the general public are some steps to tackle barriers to remote research in the long term. COVID-19 may not be a health emergency anymore, but we are not immune to future pandemics. A more holistic approach to research by turning obstacles into opportunities will not just ensure a more comprehensive public health response in the coming time, but also bolster the existing infrastructure for a stronger healthcare system for countries.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1309089/fullCOVID-19field researchremote researchtelephonic surveydigital healthLMICs |
| spellingShingle | Rubina Mulchandani Rubina Mulchandani Tanica Lyngdoh Sheetal Gandotra H. S. Isser Rajinder K. Dhamija Ashish Kumar Kakkar Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future Frontiers in Public Health COVID-19 field research remote research telephonic survey digital health LMICs |
| title | Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future |
| title_full | Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future |
| title_fullStr | Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future |
| title_full_unstemmed | Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future |
| title_short | Field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings: challenges and lessons for the future |
| title_sort | field based research in the era of the pandemic in resource limited settings challenges and lessons for the future |
| topic | COVID-19 field research remote research telephonic survey digital health LMICs |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1309089/full |
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