BU Research Blog

December 23, 2023

Paper published on ‘living evidence’

international, open access, Publishing, Training, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

The Nepal Journal of Epidemiology published today carries an article on so-called ‘living evidence’ as an on-going synthesis approach that provides up-to-date rigorous research evidence [1]. This short research methods paper argues that living evidence is particularly useful in rapidly expanding research domains, uncertain existing evidence, and incorporating new research evidence that may impact policy or practice, ensuring that health worker, managers and health-policy makers have access to the best, i.e. the most recent evidence.

The Nepal Journal of Epidemiology is an Open Access journal, and hence freely available to researchers across the globe. The paper has been co-authored by researchers from the Denmark, Qatar, Mauritius and the UK.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

Reference:

Sathian B., van Teijlingen E., do Nascimento I.J.B., Khatib M.N., Banerjee I., Simkhada P., Kabir R., Al Hamad H. (2023) Need for evidence synthesis for quality control of healthcare decision-making. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 13(3):1288-1291. DOI: 10.3126/nje.v13i3.61004

December 22, 2023

New Nepal paper published

international, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

BMJ Global Health published our latest paper today under the title ‘The impact of decentralisation on health systems: a systematic review of reviews‘ [1]. This so-called review of reviews is part of a larger study funded by the UK Health Systems Research Initiative [Grant ref. MR/T023554/1]. in this larger Nepal Federal Health System Project we study the consequences for the health system of Nepal’s move from a centralised political system to a more federal government structure. This joint project is led by the University of Sheffield in collaboration with Bournemouth University, the University of Huddersfield, and two collaborating institutions in Nepal, namely Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) and PHASE Nepal. We have managed to publish four papers from this project prior to today’s one. [2-5]

This latest paper, is Open Access and it includes nine reviews, each addressing somewhat different questions, contexts and issues. More negative than positive impacts of decentralisation on health system building blocks were identified. Although inconclusive, evidence suggested that the impacts on leadership and governance and financing components in particular shape the impact on the overall health system. Assessment of how the impact on building blocks translates to the broader impact on health systems is challenged by the dynamic complexities related to contexts, process and the health system itself. This review highlights some of the common potential issues to consider in advance.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMWH (Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health)

References:

Sapkota, S., Dhakal, A., Rushton S., et al. (2023) The impact of decentralisation on health systems: a systematic review of reviews. BMJ Global Health 8:e013317. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013317.
Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Rushton, S., et al. (2023) Overcoming the Challenges Facing Nepal’s Health System During Federalisation: An Analysis of Health System Building Blocks, Health Research Policy & Systems 21(117) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-023-01033-2
Sapkota, S., Panday, S., Wasti, S.P., et al. (2022) Health System Strengthening: The Role of Public Health in Federal Nepal, Journal of the Nepal Public Health Association 7(1):36-42.
Adhikary, P., Balen, J., Gautam, S., et al. (2020) The COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: Emerging evidence on the effectiveness of action by, and cooperation between, different levels of government in a federal system, Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences 3 (3): 1-11.
Rushton, S., Pandey, S., van Teijlingen, E., et al. (2021) An Investigation into the Impact of Decentralization on the Health System of Nepal. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 7(1): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.3126/jmmihs.v7i1.43146

December 21, 2023

Viewpoint on free birthing

international, open access, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

This week the Journal of Asian Midwives published our short article ‘Out-of-hospital births: A small but growing phenomenon in high income countries: A viewpoint‘ [1]. OOHBs (out-of-hospital births), is also referred to as freebirth (or freebirthing), unassisted childbirth and/or unassisted pregnancy [2]. OOHB does not refer to giving birth at home before the midwife arrives at a home birth or the birth taking place in an ambulance or along the side of the road on the way to a maternity unit, this is called ‘born before arrival’. OOHB suggests an element of planning of planning a birth without a midwife (or other maternity-care professional).

The paper in the Journal of Asian Midwives highlights that during the COVID-19 pandemic, OOHBs were a way to avoid Public Health regulations and lock-down constraints, and to guarantee the presence of a partner at the birth. The authors argue, however, that the pandemic is not at the origin of the trend, but more of a catalyst. Advocacy groups, maternity-service users’ groups, the media, and midwifery organisations in several high-income countries have in recent years underlined the growing criticism of existing maternity care and midwifery services and a long-term shortage of midwives. This is in addition to a longstanding trend in the United Kingdom of closing community-based hospitals, including small, free-standing midwife-led units.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

Reference:

Miani, C, Batram-Zantvoort, S, Pitchforth, E, Treadgold, B, Johnston, K, Rozée, V, MacDougall, C, Schantz, C, van Teijlingen, E. (2023) Out-of-hospital births: A small but growing phenomenon in high income countries: A viewpoint. Journal of Asian Midwives 10(2):77–78.
AIMS. (2020) Freebirth, Unassisted Childbirth and Unassisted Pregnancy, published on 30 March 2020, accessed 21 December 2023.

December 14, 2023

Methods paper: Online questionnaire surveys

international, open access, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

The paper ‘Guide to the design and application of online questionnaire surveys‘ [1] led by Dr. Pramod Regmi, Principal Academic in International Health in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, reached 200 citations today on ResearchGate. Our methods paper was published in 2016 in the Nepal Journal of Epidemiology which is Open Access, hence it is freely available to anyone in the world with internet access.

At the time conducting online surveys was still a bit of a novelty. In the paper we noted that there was limited literature to help a fledgling researcher with the design and a use of online questionnaires. Therefore, this short paper highlights issues around: a) methodological aspect of online questionnaire survey; b) online survey planning and management; and c) ethical concerns that may arise while using this option.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

Reference:

Regmi, P. R., Waithaka, E., Paudyal, A., Simkhada, P., & van Teijlingen, E. (2017). Guide to the design and application of online questionnaire surveys. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, 6(4), 640–644.

December 5, 2023

Paper in BMJ Global Health

international, open access, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Today we received notice that our paper ‘The impacts of decentralisation on health systems: a systematic review of reviews’ has been accepted by the international journal BMJ Global Health. [1] This review of reviews was produced as part of the Nepal Federal Health System Project, examining the consequences for the health system of Nepal’s move to a federal government structure. This is a joint project (2020-2024) led by the University of Sheffield and in collaboration with Bournemouth University, the University of Huddersfield, Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) and PHASE Nepal. This longitudinal interdisciplinary study is funded by the UK Health Systems Research Initiative [Grant ref. MR/T023554/1] and has resulted in four previous publications. [2-5]

The latest paper is a review which synthesizes evidence generated by previous reviews on the impact of decentralising health system governance on the six WHO (World Health Organization) health system building blocks. We systematically searched for reviews exploring the impact of decentralisation on the health system from five databases. Reviews, both systematic and non-systematic, published in the English language from 1990 to February 2022 were included. Nine reviews, each addressing slightly different questions, contexts and health system issues, were synthesised. They showed that devolution can have positive or negative impacts on the health system and its components. Moreover, impact assessments are significantly affected by complexities surrounding decentralisation and health system concepts: their dynamic mechanisms, inconsistent and often differently operationalized health system and health system component variables, and methodological challenges. For the WHO health system components, more negative than positive impacts were reported. The reviews highlight the importance of closely assessing (pre-)existing (political and non-political) characteristics of countries and their health systems to better understand impacts. This review of reviews concludes that decentralisation can have a negative or a positive impact on the health system and its components; the impacts are shaped by pre-existing country contexts. Generating conclusive and generalisable evidence of the impacts of decentralisation on health systems is challenging. Whilst decentralisation may seek to enhance community engagement and improve the responsiveness of decision-making, it has the potential to create serious challenges to the health system, the manifestations of which are likely to be context-specific.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMWH

Sapkota, S., Dhakal, A., Rushton, S., van Teijlingen, E., Marahatta, S.B., Balen, J., Lee, A. for the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2023) The impacts of decentralisation on health systems: a systematic review of reviews, BMJ Global Health (forthcoming)
Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E.,Rushton, S., Subedi, M., Simkhada, P., Balen, J. for the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2023) Overcoming the Challenges Facing Nepal’s Health System During Federalisation: An Analysis of Health System Building Blocks, Health Research Policy & Systems 21(117) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-023-01033-2
Sapkota, S., Panday, S., Wasti, S.P., Lee, A., Balen, J., van Teijlingen, E., Rushton, S., Subedi, M., Gautam, S., Karki., J., Adhikary, P., Marahatta, S., Simkhada, P., for the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2022) Health System Strengthening: The Role of Public Health in Federal Nepal, Journal of the Nepal Public Health Association 7(1):36-42.
Adhikary, P., Balen, J., Gautam, S., Ghimire, S., Karki, J., Lee, A.C.K., Marahatta, S.B., Panday, S., Pohl, G., Rushton, S., Sapkota, S., Simkhada, P.P., Subedi, M., van Teijlingen, E. for the Nepal Federal Health System team (2020) The COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: Emerging evidence on the effectiveness of action by, and cooperation between, different levels of government in a federal system, Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences 3 (3): 1-11.
Rushton, S., Pandey, S., van Teijlingen, E., Subedi, M., Balen, J., Karki, J., Simkhada, P. on behalf of the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2021) An Investigation into the Impact of Decentralization on the Health System of Nepal. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 7(1): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.3126/jmmihs.v7i1.43146

November 20, 2023

Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Arnold

international, Publishing, Women's Academic Network, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Arnold, whose paper ‘Parallel worlds: An ethnography of care in an Afghan maternity hospital‘ has been cited twenty times according to a message from ResearchGate. This is one of the paper originating from Rachel’s PhD in the Centre for Midwifery and Women’s Health. Rachel’s has published several more papers from her PhD research [2-4] and she also co-authored a further paper on health management in Afghanistan with our former PhD student Dr. Shaqaieq Ashrafi [5].

References:

Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I., 2018. Parallel worlds: An ethnography of care in an Afghan maternity hospital. Social Science and Medicine, 216, 33-40.
Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I., 2015. Understanding Afghan healthcare providers: A qualitative study of the culture of care in a Kabul maternity hospital. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 122 (2), 260-267.
Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E., Ryan, K. and Holloway, I., 2019. Villains or victims? An ethnography of Afghan maternity staff and the challenge of high quality respectful care. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 19 (1).
Ryan, K., Brown, S., Wilkins, C., Taylor, A., Arnold, R., Angell, C. and van Teijlingen, E., 2011. Which hat am I wearing today? Practising midwives doing research. Evidence Based Midwifery, 9 (1), 4-8
Ashrafi Dost, S., Arnold, R., van Teijlingen, E. (2023). Management capacity in theAfghan Ministry of Public Health pre-Taliban: A mixed-methods study of political and socio-cultural issues. Razi International Medical Journal, 3(1): 9-18. DOI:10.56101/rimj.v3i1.67

November 5, 2023

BU Sociology professor invited to speak at Royal Holloway

Delicious links, international, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Professor Edwin van Teijlingen in the Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH) has been invited to speak at Royal Holloway, University of London, about writing an academic paper. His public lecture will be coming Tuesday lunch time in the appropriately named ‘Bourne Lecture Theatre’ at Royal Holloway. Prof. van Teijlingen, together with several Bournemouth University (BU) colleagues, has published a text book [1], several book chapters [2-18] and a large number of papers [19-38] about a wide-range of aspects of academic writing and publishing. One of former BU academics, who co-authored a book chapter [10], and two papers [21, 25], is Dr. Preeti Mahato. She is Lecturer in Global Health at Royal Holloway as well as Visiting Faculty in BU’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences.

References:

Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Hundley, V. with Shreesh, K. (2022) Writing and Publishing Academic Work, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books
van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P.P., Wasti, S.P. (2022) Introduction, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 1-4.
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Swoveet, P. (2022) Writing an Academic Paper, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 6-14.
Hundley, V., Luce, A., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Collaborative Writing for Publication, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 15-19.
van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Shanker, S. (2022) Selecting an Appropriate Journal and Submitting your Paper, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 20-31.
van Teijlingen, E., Thapa, D., Marahatta, S.B., Sapkota, J.L., Regmi, P. Sathian, B. (2022) Editors and Reviewers: Roles and Responsibilities, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 32-37.
van Teijlingen, E., Ireland, J., Hundley, V, Dhakal Rai, S., Simkhada, P., Sathian, B. (2022) Identifying an appropriate Title, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 39-47.
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, B, Acharya D.R. (2022) Writing an Abstract for a Scientific Conference, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 48-56.
Subedi, M., van Teijlingen, E., Baniya J., Sijapati, B. (2022) Writing the Introduction and Background, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 57-67.
van Teijlingen, E., Pitchforth, E., Keenan Forrest, K., Mahato, P. (2022) Writing a Qualitative Paper, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 88-97.
Wasti, S.P, Devkota, B., Bhatta, D.N., Pitchforth, E., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Writing the Introduction and Background, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 112-120.
Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2022) Writing up the Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 121-129
Aryal, N., Regmi, P.R., Simkhada, B., Subedi, M., van Teijlingen, E., Wasti, S.P., Hundley, V, Khatri, R. (2022) Being Ethical in Writing and Publishing, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 153-161.
van Teijlingen, E., Venter, K. (2022) Writing a Book Review, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 162-167.
Devkota, B., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V, Wasti, S.P. (2022) Writing a Research Proposal, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 168-175.
Wasti, S.P. Regmi, P.R., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V. (2022) Writing a PhD Proposal, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 176-183.
Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Converting your Master’s or Doctoral Thesis into an Academic Paper for Publication, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 184-189.
van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Acharya, J., Silwal, R.C., Wasti, S.P. (2022) Academic Writing: Final Thoughts, In: Wasti, S.P., et al. (Eds.) Academic Writing and Publishing in Health & Social Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books: 201-20.
Harvey, O., Taylor, A., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Struggling to reply to reviewers: Some advice for novice researchers. Health Prospect, 21(2):19-22.
Sathian B, van Teijlingen E, Banerjee I, Kabir R. (2022) Guidance to applying for health research grants in the UK. Nepal J Epidemiol 12(4):1231-1234.
Arnold, R., Ireland, J., Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2022) Writing and publishing a reflective paper: Three case studies, Welhams Acad J 1(1): 4-11.
van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V, Sathian, B., Simkhada, P., Robinson, J., Banerjee, I. (2022) The Art of the Editorial Nepal J Epidemiol, 12(1): 1135–38.
Harvey, O., van Teijlingen, A., Regmi, P.R., Ireland, J., Rijal, A., van Teijlingen, E.R. (2022) Co-authors, colleagues, and contributors: Complexities in collaboration and sharing lessons on academic writing Health Prospect 21(1):1-3.
van Teijlingen, E.R., Dhakal Adhikari, S., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, A., Aryal, N., Panday, S. (2021). Publishing, identifiers & metrics: Playing the numbers game. Health Prospect, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.3126/hprospect.v20i1.37391
Adhikari, S. D., van Teijlingen, E. R., Regmi, P. R., Mahato, P., Simkhada, B., & Simkhada, P. P. (2020). The Presentation of Academic Self in The Digital Age: The Role of Electronic Databases. Int J Soc Sci Management, 7(1), 38-41. https://doi.org/10.3126/ijssm.v7i1.27405
van Teijlingen, E, Simkhada, PP, Rizyal A (2012) Submitting a paper to an academic peer-reviewed journal, where to start? (Guest Editorial) Health Renaissance 10(1): 1-4.
van Teijlingen, E, Simkhada. PP, Simkhada, B, Ireland J. (2012) The long & winding road to publication, Nepal J Epidemiol 2(4): 213-215 http://nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/7093/6388
Hundley, V, van Teijlingen, E, Simkhada, P (2013) Academic authorship: who, why and in what order? Health Renaissance 11(2):98-101 www.healthrenaissance.org.np/uploads/Download/vol-11-2/Page_99_101_Editorial.pdf
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, BD. (2013) Writing an Abstract for a Scientific Conference, Kathmandu Univ Med J 11(3): 262-65. http://www.kumj.com.np/issue/43/262-265.pdf
Simkhada P, van Teijlingen E, Hundley V. (2013) Writing an academic paper for publication, Health Renaissance 11(1):1-5. www.healthrenaissance.org.np/uploads/Pp_1_5_Guest_Editorial.pdf
van Teijlingen, E., Ireland, J., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Sathian, B. (2014) Finding the right title for your article: Advice for academic authors, Nepal J Epidemiol 4(1): 344-347.
van Teijlingen E., Hundley, V., Bick, D. (2014) Who should be an author on your academic paper? Midwifery 30: 385-386.
Hall, J., Hundley, V., van Teijlingen, E. (2015) The journal editor: friend or foe? Women & Birth 28(2): e26-e29.
Sathian, B., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Roy, B, Banerjee, I. (2016) Grant writing for innovative medical research: Time to rethink. Med Sci 4(3):332-33.
Pradhan, AK, van Teijlingen, ER. (2017) Predatory publishing: a great concern for authors, Med Sci 5(4): 43.
van Teijlingen, E, Hundley, V. (2002) Getting your paper to the right journal: a case study of an academic paper, J Advanced Nurs 37(6): 506-11.
Pitchforth, E, Porter M, Teijlingen van E, Keenan Forrest, K. (2005) Writing up & presenting qualitative research in family planning & reproductive health care, J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 31(2): 132-135.
van Teijlingen, E (2004), Why I can’t get any academic writing done, Medical Sociol News 30(3): 62-63. britsoc.co.uk/media/26334/MSN_Nov_2004.pdf

November 3, 2023

New health policy paper published this week

international, open access, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

This week the Nepal Federal Health System Team published its latest paper the international journal Health Research Policy & Systems [1]. This Open Access paper ‘Overcoming the challenges facing Nepal’s health system during federalisation: an analysis of health system building blocks‘ reports on two separate methods: interviews and participatory policy analysis workshops, to offer an in-depth understanding of stakeholders’ practical learning, experiences, and opinions. Participants included policymakers, health service providers, local elected members, and other local stakeholders. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated into English, and analysed thematically using the six WHO (World Health Organization) health system building blocks [2] as its theoretical framework.

Wasti et al. found that participants noted both opportunities and challenges around each building block. Identified opportunities were: (a) tailored local health policies and plans, (b) improved health governance at the municipality level, (c) improved health infrastructure and service capacity, (d) improved outreach services, (e) increased resources (health budgets, staffing, and supplies), and (f) improved real-time data reporting from health facilities. At the same time, several challenges were identified including: (a) poor coordination between the tiers of government, (b) delayed release of funds, (c) maldistribution of staff, (d) problems over procurement, and (e) limited monitoring and supervision of the quality of service delivery and data reporting.

The paper concludes that since federalisation, Nepal’s health system performance is improving, although much remains to be accomplished. For Nepal to succeed in its federalisation process, understanding the challenges and opportunities is vital to improving each level of the health system in terms of (a) leadership and governance, (b) service delivery, (c) health financing, (d) health workforce, (e) access to essential medicines and technologies and (f) health information system.

This publication is the fourth one originating from our Nepal Federal Health System Project, our major collaborative project examining the consequences for the health system of Nepal’s move to a federal government structure [2-5]. This is a joint project (2020-2024) led by the University of Sheffield and in collaboration with Bournemouth University, the University of Huddersfield, Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) and PHASE Nepal. This longitudinal interdisciplinary study is funded by the UK Health Systems Research Initiative [Grant ref. MR/T023554/1].

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

References:

Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen, E.,Rushton, S., Subedi, M., Simkhada, P., Balen, J. for the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2023) Overcoming the Challenges Facing Nepal’s Health System During Federalisation: An Analysis of Health System Building Blocks, Health Research Policy & Systems 21(117) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-023-01033-2
World Health Organization (2007) Everybody’s business: strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes. WHO’s Framework for Action. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Sapkota, S., Panday, S., Wasti, S.P., Lee, A., Balen, J., van Teijlingen, E., Rushton, S., Subedi, M., Gautam, S., Karki., J., Adhikary, P., Marahatta, S., Simkhada, P., for the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2022) Health System Strengthening: The Role of Public Health in Federal Nepal, Journal of the Nepal Public Health Association 7(1):36-42.
Adhikary, P., Balen, J., Gautam, S., Ghimire, S., Karki, J., Lee, A.C.K., Marahatta, S.B., Panday, S., Pohl, G., Rushton, S., Sapkota, S., Simkhada, P.P., Subedi, M., van Teijlingen, E. for the Nepal Federal Health System team (2020) The COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: Emerging evidence on the effectiveness of action by, and cooperation between, different levels of government in a federal system, Journal of Karnali Academy of Health Sciences 3 (3): 1-11.
Rushton, S., Pandey, S., van Teijlingen, E., Subedi, M., Balen, J., Karki, J., Simkhada, P. on behalf of the Nepal Federal Health System Team (2021) An Investigation into the Impact of Decentralization on the Health System of Nepal. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, 7(1): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.3126/jmmihs.v7i1.43146

November 2, 2023

New publication on positionality

international, PG research, Publishing, student research, Women's Academic Network, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Today the journal Health Prospect published Raksha Thapa’s paper ‘Researching Dalits and health care: Considering positionality’ [1]. This methodological paper is based on Dr. Raksha Thapa’s recently completed BU project on caste-based inequity in health care utilization in Nepal, particularly focusing on people at the bottom of the caste hierarchy, commonly known as Dalit communities. Her PhD study was supervised by Dr. Pramod Regmi, Principal Academic in the Department of Nursing Sciences, Prof. Vanessa Heaslip Professor of Nursing and Healthcare Equity at the University of Salford and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen in the Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health. This is the third paper from her PhD work; the first one was published in the Journal of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences [2] and the second one in the Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health [3].

Congratulations!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen & Dr. Pramod Regmi

FHSS

References:

Thapa, R., Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Heaslip, V. (2023) Researching Dalits and health care: Considering positionality, Health Prospect 21(1): 6-8.
Thapa, R., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Heaslip, V. (2018) Uptake of Health Services by People from the Dalit Community, Journal of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences 1(2): 1-6.
Thapa, R., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Heaslip, V. (2021) Caste Exclusion and Health Discrimination in South Asia: A Systematic Review, Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health 33(8):828-838.

October 16, 2023

Interview with BU’s Dr. Nirmal Aryal in main Nepalese newspaper

international Edwin van Teijlingen

Dr. Nirmal Aryal, who is a part-time researcher in the Department of Nursing Sciences, was interviewed in Nepal by a journalist for Kantipur, the largest Nepali-language newspaper of the country. Nirmal was interviewed after our successful research dissemination events last week in both the capital Kathmandu and in Janakpur (in the south of Nepal). These dissemination programmes reported on a study into the risk of kidney damage in Nepalese migrant workers. This study, led by Bournemouth University’s Dr. Pramod Regmi,was funded by The Colt Foundation in the UK. Dr. Nirmal Aryal is also research associate in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Research Unit of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The interview with Nirmal Aryal in Nepali can be read online, click here!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

October 16, 2023

PhD training workshop in Kathmandu

international, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Yesterday (Sunday 15th October) Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen from BU’s Department of Midwifery and Health Sciences presented a PhD Thesis Writing Workshop at Tribhuvan University (TU), the largest and oldest university in Nepal. The session was organised by Prof. Dr. Bhimsen Devkota in the Graduate School of Education, he is also Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences at BU. Prof. Devkota is currently also involved in a major grant application to the NIHR. This application is together with colleagues in Pakistan and led by Prof. Vanora Hundly in the Department of Midwifery and Health Sciences.

Most people, including students, in Nepal only have one day, Saturday off as weekend. So teaching on a Sunday is normal here. As you would expect from an audience of largely PhD students, during and at the end of the session there was a very good range of very good questions. The teaching session was also an opportunity to promote our textbook ACADEMIC WRITING AND PUBLISHING IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES. This book was published April last year in Kathmandu.

October 13, 2023

Media coverage BU’s kidney research in Nepal

international Edwin van Teijlingen

This week Bournemouth University organised two dissemination events for our risk of kidney disease study in Nepalese migrant workers in the Middle East and Malaysia. A previous blog reported on the first event in the capital Kathmandu (see details here!) . These dissemination events have generated a loads of media coverage in Nepal, both in Nepali and in English.

The study was led by Bournemouth University and a charity in Nepal which whom we have been collaborating for two decades, called Green Tara Nepal. This important study, the first of its kind, was conducted among the Nepalese migrant workers and a comparison group of non-migrants from the same community. This study was funded by The Colt Foundation, based in the UK. In the field it was supported by the Madhes Province Public Health Laboratory, the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration and University College London (UCL).

Dr Pramod Raj Regmi (Principal Academic in International Health in Bournemouth University’s Department of Nursing Sciences) is the lead researcher and our team further comprises researchers Dr Nirmal Aryal and Prof Edwin van Teijlingen (both from BU’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences), and in Nepal clinicians: Prof Dr Arun Sedhai, Dr Radheshyam KC and Dr Shrawan Kumar Mishra.

Prof Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

October 9, 2023

Dissemination kidney-disease research Kathmandu

international Edwin van Teijlingen

Yesterday, Sunday 8th October we held an event in the capital of Nepal to disseminate the findings of our study of the kidney health of Nepalese migrant workers working abroad. The study included 718 migrants and 725 non-migrants from Dhanusha district which has the highest number of labour migrants working abroad. Our study found that 5.8 % of our migrant samples had some sign of kidney injury compared to non-migrants (3.6%). The study also reported other lifestyle risk factors in migrants than non migrants. Labour migration has become an integral part of Nepali society, over a quarter of the country’s national income is from remunerations, i.e. workers sending money home from abroad. It is therefore important to measure and record these problems related to kidney health to get policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to implement culturally adapted and feasible interventions to promote healthy lifestyle and improve working conditions.

This mixed-methods study adopted Disadvantaged Populations eGFR Epidemiology Study (DEGREE) protocol which combines a questionnaire around living and working conditions abroad with biological measurements. This study, funded by the UK-based Colt Foundation, is the first of its kind in Nepal. The BU team comprises Dr. Pramod Regmi, Principal Academic and Dr. Nirmal Aryal, Postdoctoral Researcher, both in the Department of Nursing Science, and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen, in the Department of Midwifery & Health Sciences. This event yesterday in Hotel Radisson in Kathmandu was first of two dissemination events, the second one will on Wednesday 11 October in the fieldwork area. In Kathmandu some 45-50 people attended including on of the regional ministers of Labour, Employment & Transport.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

October 6, 2023

Training on federalisation in Nepal

international, Public engagement, Training Edwin van Teijlingen

Today our collaborators Drs Sujata Sapkota and Sujan Gautam from Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (MMIHS) organised and ran another training and orientation session for Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) in a hotel in Kathmandu. The discussions in Nepali in today’s session are very lively with great participation from guest trainers as well as from the FCHVs. Many FCHVs are worried about their changing roles, and even the potential disappearance of the role.

The sessions with FCHVs are crucial capacity building as part of our interdisciplinary study ‘The impact of federalisation on Nepal’s health system: a longitudinal analysis’. I had the pleasure of saying a few words about our international project which started in 2020 and will run to 2024. It is funded by the Health System Research Initiative, a UK collaboration between three funders: the MRC (Medical research Council), the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the Welcome Trust. The research team includes researchers from MMIHS (Kathmandu), and PHASE Nepal (Bhaktapur), the University of Sheffield, Bournemouth University, and the University of Huddersfield (the three original UK co-applicants), and researchers now based at the University of Greenwich, the University of Essex and Canterbury Christ Church University.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health (CMWH)

October 5, 2023

Non-code sharing: Academic travel

Edwin van Teijlingen

Selective Travel offers interesting combinations of airlines to fly to far away destinations. This is great as it offers staff the opportunity to seek out the cheapest flight combination or the one with the shortest stop-over time, especially when traveling on research project funded by charities. What is not always clear is that these airlines in in your deal don’t share codes, as I found out at Heathrow two yesterday when I checked in for a my flight to Nepal. This trip to Nepal is part of The Colt Foundation study into the risk of kidney disease in Nepalese migrant workers. The first leg was with British Airways (BA) to Delhi and the onward flight was with Air India to Kathmandu. I could not check in online nor on one of the machines at Heathrow as BA treated this as a flight to India and I have no visa for India. I needed to queue thrice to speak to BA staff member who could check me in to Delhi, she also informed me that Air India and British Airways don’t code share, and I should get my onward ticket in Delhi. However, she could check in my luggage and send it on to Kathmandu! Arriving in Delhi I was told at the transfer desk for Air India that my ticket was not ready yet, as my luggage had to be located. after I told the guy my BA story. Luckily I had a stop-over of five hours, because after an hour or so there was still no sign of y ticket. It finally arrived a little later, and luckily I have traveled often enough in South Asia not to be worried by delays in paperwork, bureaucratic procedures, and the simple statement; “You have to wait, Sir”.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMWH

September 22, 2023

After predatory journals & conferences, now predatory academic prizes

Guidance, international, PG research, Publishing, Research Integritiy, student research, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

After many emails about predatory journals and conferences, today I received an email about a predatory academic prize. Over the years there have been many BU Research Blogs warning readers about predatory journals, for example in 2014, 2015, 2018, and in 2019, and also about fake conferences (e.g. in 2017). It was inevitable that fake academic prizes would be the next trick. The email announces that for US$ 225 the prize is mine! This development fits in with the many messages I have received about having ‘won’ prizes on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Today’s predatory prize announcement is still very much in its infancy as scammers from the ‘Asia International Research Award 2023’ did not pick the greatest paper written in 2020 by the first author Dr Preeti Mahato, formerly in BU’s Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, and now Lecturer in Global Health at Royal Holloway , University of London. If they had wanted to make the award scam more believable they would have chosen the PloS one paper from her BU PhD work in Nepal [1]. Instead the announcement list a paper with much older data based on secondary analysis [2], not a bad paper, but not a winner either.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

References

Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C., & Hundley, V. (2020). Evaluation of a health promotion intervention associated with birthing centres in rural Nepal. PloS one, 15(5), e0233607.
Mahato, P. K., Sheppard, Z. A., van Teijlingen, E., & De Souza, N. (2020). Factors associated with contraceptive use in rural Nepal: Gender and decision-making. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare, 24, 100507.

September 13, 2023

The end of an era

international, Publishing, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Yesterday I wrote my resignation letter to the journal BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth. After acting as Associate Editor for fifteen years the time has come for me to give it up, and I found ‘giving up’ very difficult. The enormous growth in my workload at Bournemouth University and the increasing requests to take on new papers as Associate Editor, on top of the many requests to review papers and grants, just became too much. It made me realize I needed to reduce several tasks and jobs to have a slightly better balanced work-home life.

I am still co-editor of the Journal of Asian Midwives, book review editor of Sociological Research Online, guest editor for a special issue of Frontiers in Public Health, and I am still on the editorial or advisory boards of: Birth (published by Wiley), Sociological Research Online (published by SAGE), Nepal Journal of Epidemiology, Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, and Midwifery (published by Elsevier), so still plenty of work to be done.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery & Women’s Health

September 8, 2023

Emerging Leaders in Drowning Prevention: BU PhD student Shafkat Hossain

Awarded & submitted bids, conferences, international, PG research, Training Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to BU’s PhD student Mr. Md. Shafkat Hossain who has been selected by Bloomberg Philanthropies as one of the Emerging Leaders in Drowning Prevention programme. This programme has been designed to create a cohort of younger leaders to join national and international efforts to raise awareness and strengthen solutions and political commitment towards drowning. This programme is hosted by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator and provides a unique opportunity for people like Shafkat to develop leadership skills in drowning prevention, and be a part of a global community working to reduce drowning deaths. This first group of Emerging Leaders includes people from Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Uganda, United States and Vietnam. Each Emerging Leader will be expected to participate in monthly sessions, both online and in person. The programme includes funding for Shafkat to attend the World Conference on Drowning Prevention in Perth, Australia in December 2023 (wcdp2023.com/) and the World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion in Delhi, India in September 2024 (worldsafety2024.com/).

Shafkat’s PhD research focuses on aspects of the Human-Centred-Design element of the Sonamoni project. Bournemouth University and the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB) jointly lead research into the prevention of children drowning deaths in Bangladesh. The project, called ‘Sonamoni’, is being coordinated by BU in collaboration with the University of the West of England, Bristol, the University of Southampton, and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). We are working with CIPRB to reduce drownings among newly-mobile children, generally under two years old. This £1.6m project has been made possible thanks to a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) through their Research and Innovation for Global Health Transformation programme. For more information, visit the NIHR website.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMWH

Category / Nursing & Midwifery

Other services

Don’t miss a post!

Recent posts

Search by Category

Research Information Network

UKRI

Category / Nursing & Midwifery

Other services

Don’t miss a post!

Recent posts

Search by Category

Search by popular post topics