Course Title

POPG5014 Research Methodology for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response

(Also serves for CCOUC certificate course)

Module Coordinator

Prof. May PS Yeung (may.yeung@cuhk.edu.hk)

Credits

2

Time

24.5 hours (includes 7 hours online lectures)

Description

Participants will receive technical training in research study to address public health needs of populations affected by catastrophic events and in resource-poor settings. On completing the course, the participants will understand the principles of planning, implementing, and disseminating research in the context of disaster and humanitarian settings. It aims to show how public health and research principles can be applied.

Prerequisite: EPID5001; Recommended: POPG5006 and BIOS5001

Topic

Contents/fundamental concepts

Introduction to research in disasters and humanitarian settings

1. A brief history of disaster in the past decades

2. Measuring health impacts of disasters

3. Research in different phases of a disaster cycle

4. Challenges and limitations of research on disasters

5. Definitions of concepts and terms: hazards, risk, disaster and vulnerability

Research preparation & planning

1. Choosing a suitable research design

2. Review of  pros and cons different methodologies and review of critical appraisal of past research

3. Ethical and cultural considerations in the field

4. Formulating quantitative research questions and hypothesis

Quantitative field research methods for needs assessment and surveillance

1. Field-based sampling methods and limitations and practical guidelines

2. Data collection from the field and disaster databases

3. Quick review of statistics

4. Data management, analysis and interpretation

5. Introduce other approaches: health needs assessment (HNA), rapid needs assessment, health impact assessment (HIA), and ongoing surveillance methods used during different stages of the disaster cycle

Qualitative research

1. Introduction to qualitative research

2. Design data collection and analysis methods

3. Use of qualitative approaches by different disciplines in disaster settings, e.g. anthropology, sociology, psychology etc.

Disseminate and apply research result

1. Apply research results to interventions to improve health

2. Report writing for stakeholders and sharing results with decision-makers

3. Publishing and publicly presenting research results

4. Prepare funding proposals

Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Gain knowledge about health risk, impact and outcomes associated with various types of disasters.

2. Understand the rationale and able to identify gaps of research in disaster and humanitarian settings.

3. Acquire the skills to plan, prepare, implement, monitor and evaluate research to examine health impacts of disasters and conflicts; taking into account ethical issues and the context.

4. Comprehend research techniques and able to critically appraise research literature related to disaster and humanitarian settings.

5. Understand the requirements to publish and disseminate research findings to various levels of audience.

Session

Date

Hrs

Topic

Format

Lecturer

& Tutors (T)

Venue

Requirements or HW

1

31 May 2019
(Fri)

9:00-11:00am

2 + (1) hr

Introduction to research in disasters and humanitarian settings

Lecture and tutorial

May Yeung

KCTCRC

Online Course chapter

2

11:00-1:00pm

2 + (1) hr

Quantitative Research (1)

Lecture

May Yeung

3

2:00-4:00pm

2 + (1) hr

Quantitative Research (2)

Lecture and tutorial

May Yeung

4

4:00-6:00pm

2 + (1) hr

Research preparation and planning

Lecture

May Yeung

5

1 Jun 2019
(Sat)

9:00-11:00am

2 + (1) hr

Qualitative study

Lecture and tutorial

May Yeung

3/F TR

6

11:00-1:00pm

2 + (1) hr

Mixed method

Lecture and tutorial

May Yeung

7

2:00-4:00pm

2 + (1) hr

Dissemination and application of research

Lecture and group work

May Yeung

8

5 Jun 2019

(Wed)

9:00-10:30am

1.5 hr

Examination

Quiz

May Yeung

KCTCRC

9

11:00am- 1:00pm

2 hr

Research proposal presentation

Student

presentation

May Yeung

Individual proposal (20%) / group presentation (30%) / written examination (50%)

Essential reading

1. Online Course - Research Methodology for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response http://ccouc.org/online-course-research-methodology-for-disaster-and-medical-humanitarian-response

Recommended readings or resources

2. CHAN EYY (2017). Public health humanitarian responses to natural disasters. 1^st Edition. New York, Routledge. pp 27-80

3. JACOBSEN KH (2017). Introduction to health research methods: A Practical Guide. 2^nd Edition. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

4. STALLINGS R.A (2002). Methods of Disaster Research. Xlibris

Further readings

5. GERAINT Lewis, Jessica Sheringham, Jamie Lopez Bernal, Tim Crayford. Section 1 Research Methods. In Mastering Public Health: A Postgraduate Guide to Examinations and Revalidation, Second Edition, 2014,CRC Press, pp1-161.

6. ACAPS. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Techniques for Humanitarian Needs Assessment: An Introductory Brief. Available at http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/qualitative_and_quantitative_
research_techniques.pdf

Name:

May PS Yeung

Office Location:

Rm 402, SPHPC

Telephone:

2252 8462

Email:

may.yeung@cuhk.edu.hk

Evaluation form or online evaluation will be available to students in the before the first and the last lecture.

CCOUC online course enrolment survey to participants.