Malaria Prevention Project in Rural Ghana- Call for Applications
Introduction:
We are recruiting one or two people to do an initial baseline study on malaria education and prevention in a small rural village in the Western Region of Ghana, which will enable us to conduct a future intervention to prevent malaria.
The selected volunteer(s) will administer an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved questionnaire detailing participants’ demographic information, current perceptions and knowledge of malaria, net distribution and use and impact of malaria. The volunteer(s) will also help identify community members who are interested in working with the future intervention as health liaisons.
This information is crucial for the successful subsequent malaria prevention intervention in Spring 2008.
Prior to departure, the volunteer(s) will work with the Project Coordinators, Rebecca Dudovitz and Diana Rickard, two second year pediatric residents at UCLA to finalize plans and apply for IRB approval.
The future intervention will take place in Spring 2008 led by a group of final year pediatric residents and Ghanaian medical students with oversight by Ghanaian and American physicians.
Background: The malaria prevention intervention project in Spring 2008
Location
Approximately 500 people live in the proposed village and it is located along a river. This makes it ideal for our study given the population size and an environment that is high risk for malaria. The community is relatively isolated, with limited access to Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) due to both financial and logistical barriers. The goals of the project are to improve the health of children in this community by providing malaria prevention education and improving access to ITNs. In addition, we will determine whether various levels and modes of malaria education impact ITN use. This information can be applied to future health projects focused on increasing ITN use in similar communities.
Malaria Prevention Intervention and Study
After analyzing baseline assessment results, plans for the subsequent study and intervention will be finalized. The study will take place over a three month period, prior to the usual rainy season, when malaria rates are at their highest. Pediatric residents will work alongside community health liaisons in the village approximately 3 days a week. Village members will be given ITNs at no cost in exchange for participation in the study.
Participants will be divided into groups and each group will receive a different level of intensity or mode of malaria education. Educational scripts will be designed based previous studies and WHO recommendations regarding ITN and malaria education. No group will be given a net without basic education regarding the transmission and prevention of malaria and how to use their new nets. Each participant will receive enough nets to cover each household member, with particular focus on covering pregnant women and children ages 0-5.
Our affiliation: This project is part of the Ghana Health and Education Initiative (GHEI), an NGO operating in this area for approximately 5 years. See
Qualifications: Applicants should be medical students or other health professionals with knowledge of study design, ability to work independently and adapt to a rural community with few amenities. Must also have the time and personal drive to follow-through with statistical analysis and write a comprehensive report on your findings.
Potential volunteers may apply as individuals or as a pair. Individuals can apply to work alone or can request that we find another applicant to pair you with. Note that we may not be able to identify a partner for those applying individually.
Funding: We cannot provide funding for travel or other expenses. We will, however, locate a family that you will be able to stay with and compensate them for their assistance. Note that plane tickets are most expensive in December- early January and in the summer (up to $1,600, but are closer to $1,200 during the rest of the year).
Time-frame: Study should be conducted between December, 2006 and June, 2007. We anticipate that the study will take two to three weeks to complete, however volunteer(s) should leave four weeks open to ensure project completion (we suggest traveling and sightseeing in Ghana with any remaining time). A report must be completed within one month of returning from Ghana.
Description of logistics (before applying, make sure you would feel comfortable doing all of the following independently): You will arrive in Accra in the evening, stay overnight in Accra and travel to the village where GHEI is based by local bus and local van. The journey takes about 10 hours and may be broken overnight in the city of Kumasi. You will be met in Humjibre, tby GHEI staff, you will stay overnight and the following day will be taken to the small village where you will be based for the rest of your stay. You will have no running water or electricity in this village and will live in a small concrete house or mud hut with a family. You will need to obtain food on your own, likely at small stands in the village that sell local food or eat with the family. Drinking water can be bought in plastic bags in nearby villages or boiled. Note that Ghanaians are incredibly friendly and accommodating, but only those formally educated through approximately 6th grade speak conversational English. A local translator will be available to assist you throughout the study.
Selection process: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We will begin reviewing applications September 1st. We encourage you to apply as early as possible. After we receive your application, you may be offered an interview, either in person or by phone. We will then offer the position(s) and two wait list positions.
Questions should be addressed to Diana Rickard at or Rebecca Dudovitz at .
Malaria Prevention Project Application
Name:
Address:
Phone number:
Email address:
Sex:
Age:
Are you applying as an individual or with another applicant? If you are applying with another applicant, state the other person’s name here and both applications and CV’s should be submitted as one document.
If you are applying as an individual, would you prefer to work with a partner, alone or no preference? (If you are applying as an individual but prefer to work with another person, choose a wide range of dates to increase your chances of selection)
What time frame do you expect to be able to travel to Ghana to complete the study (should be between December 2006 and June 2007)?
Education- degrees and anticipated degrees:
If you are currently in a degree program, which year are you?
Essays. Please answer the following questions in no more than one page total.
- Why do you want to be involved with this study?
- We are looking for a volunteer that has some background in basic study design and statistical concepts with some practical experience. Please describe your research background and any relevant coursework.
- What is your experience in developing countries? How independent were you in this travel or work?
- We are looking for a volunteer who will be very self-sufficient and pro-active. Describe an activity or leadership experience that you’ve had that you think demonstrates these qualities.