In Search of Empowering Health Research for Marginalized Populations in Urban Settings: The Value of a Transdisciplinary Approach

2010 ◽  
pp. 23-37
Author(s):  
Maritt Kirst ◽  
Jason Altenberg ◽  
Raffi Balian
Keyword(s):  
Health Research ◽  
Marginalized Populations ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Urban Settings

scholarly journals Shaping Education and Training to Advance Transdisciplinary Health Research

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Gehlert
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Educational Program ◽  
The United States ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Transdisciplinary Research ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Transdisciplinary Education ◽  
And Training

Despite at least two decades of effort, the United States has made little progress in addressing the health disparities experienced by its most vulnerable residents. For many diseases, the gaps in health between groups continue to grow. In this paper, we first build a case for the importance of a transdisciplinary approach to eliminating health disparities, based on the premise that executing successful disparities research depends on the ability to visualize the multiple influences on health and health disparities and understand the complex ways in which they interact with one another to produce worse outcomes for some groups than others. We argue that our failure to prepare investigators to conduct transdisciplinary research has greatly impeded our progress toward eliminating the nation’s disparities. Finally, we articulate the challenges of implementing transdisciplinary education and training and recommend elements of a successful transdisciplinary educational program in health.

scholarly journals Challenges and lessons learned in mental health research among refugees: a community-based study in Turkey

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozge Karadag ◽  
Cengiz Kilic ◽  
Edip Kaya ◽  
Sarp Uner
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Urban Settings

Abstract Background Turkey hosts nearly four million refugees and 99% live in urban areas. Research in urban settings pose different challenges and opportunities than research in refugee camps. In this article, we aimed to share the challenges and experiences we encountered in a mixed-methods study to assess mental health problems and barriers to accessing mental health care among refugees in urban areas of Turkey. Discussion In our case, the main challenges in conducting research with refugees were collecting data from a highly traumatized population, difficulties with contacting undocumented asylum seekers including trust issues and the fear of deportation, the risk of secondary traumatization among data collectors, and the bureaucracy during study approval processes. Targeting a representative sample was not feasible, because of the lack of publicly available demographic data on a district level, presence of undocumented asylum seekers and high mobility among the refugees. Although respondents with significant psychological symptoms were routinely referred to available mental health services, we were able to do less for unregistered refugees with problems in accessing health care. Language/alphabet differences and differing dialects of Arabic posed another challenge in both translation and administration of the scales. Based on cultural characteristics, a gender-balanced team was used and the interviewers were gender-matched whenever needed. Also, the research team had to work after work hours and during weekends to be able to interview male refugees, since most refugee men were at work during working hours and most days of the week. Conclusions The research team’s experience showed that refugee population characteristics including level of trauma, language, culture, gender, legal status, and urban setting characteristics including places of living, mobility, availability of publicly available demographic data, and outreach-related barriers lead to different challenges and ethical responsibilities of researchers and affect the research costs in terms of time, human resources and finance. Even in a host country with geographical, religious and cultural proximity to the refugees, profound challenges exist in conducting mental health research in urban settings. Learning from previous experience and collaborating with local researchers and institutions are vital for better public health research and practice outcomes.

Introducing a Transdisciplinary Approach to Applied Urban Health Research

2010 ◽  
pp. 3-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia O’Campo ◽  
Maritt Kirst ◽  
Nicole Schaefer-McDaniel ◽  
Stephen Hwang
Keyword(s):  
Urban Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Transdisciplinary Approach

The increasing role of psychology health research and interventions and a vision for the future.

2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 652-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norine G. Johnson ◽  
Alison M. Radcliffe
Keyword(s):  
Health Research ◽  
The Future
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