BLOG: Understanding cross-cultural contexts in global health research

My visit to the MAHAN Trust in Melghat and the KEM Hospital Research Centre (KEMHRC) in Pune during my fellowship was an invaluable experience, enriching my understanding of how contextual factors shape global health research and interventions. It provided a platform to engage with diverse communities and institutions, offering benefits not only to me but also to the sites involved.

At MAHAN Trust, I witnessed the resilience of the research team, led by Dr Ashish Satav, in navigating significant resource constraints. Conducting Photovoice training with local staff was a mutually enriching process. For the MAHAN team, the training provided a novel participatory research tool to amplify tribal community voices and gather actionable insights on respiratory health. For me, this engagement deepened my appreciation of how participatory methods empower communities and enhance the relevance of health interventions.

Together with the team, I had the opportunity to visit one of the tribal villages where the study had been conducted and we reflected upon the study findings. The narratives and visuals shared by individuals from the tribal community unearthed an interplay of deeply rooted cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors that influence health behaviours and outcomes, shaping my perspective on the importance of grounding research in local realities.

At KEM Hospital Research Centre (KEM) in Pune, collaboration emphasised the importance of institutional capacity and multidisciplinary teamwork in global health research. At KEM, the Photovoice work is led by Dr Rutuja Patil.

The training sessions which I conducted with the research team strengthened their ability to adopt innovative methodologies like Photovoice, equipping them with tools to collect richer, context-specific data. In return, I benefited from their expertise and operational insights, particularly in integrating research into Vadu Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) and the opportunity to witness how data is gathered in this community. This mutual exchange emphasised the power of partnerships in creating a two-way learning environment where both parties grow in capacity and knowledge.

This fellowship journey has enhanced my personal growth as a researcher and academic. It expanded my skills in adapting research methods to diverse settings and navigating complex socio-political landscapes.

These insights enriched my contributions to the Stakeholder Engagement Workshop at the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) Asia Pacific in Singapore, where my team and I explored strategies to integrate contextual understanding into global health projects. The discussions during the workshop exemplified how such field experiences can contribute to the broader global health community, influencing the design and implementation of more effective interventions.

For MAHAN Trust and KEMHRC, the fellowship activities brought immediate and long-term advantages. The Photovoice training enhanced their methodological repertoire, enabling them to involve communities more effectively using photographs in health research and for advocacy purposes. Photovoice methodology can also be adapted to address other health issues, increasing their utility beyond respiratory health. Additionally, the partnership created a foundation for future collaborations, fostering shared learning and innovation.

To continue building on these achievements, we should focus on sustained south-south capacity-building initiatives, ensuring that RESPIRE organisations have the tools and resources to lead impactful research. Developing comprehensive resources, such as the Photovoice toolkit, will provide researchers and practitioners with adaptable frameworks for community-engaged research across diverse settings. 

In summary, this fellowship has been transformative, benefitting me and the sites I visited by fostering skills, knowledge, and relationships critical for advancing, potentially,  equitable global health research. The lessons learned from this experience will continue to inform my work in driving meaningful, context-sensitive interventions within and beyond RESPIRE.