BU Research Blog

Category / international

16 August 2016

Informed consent in health research: new paper

international, Publishing, Research Ethics, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

Congratulations to Dr. Pramod Regmi as the lead author of the paper ‘Informed consent in health research: challenges and barriers in low-and middle-income countries with specific reference to Nepal‘ [1]. Informed consent is a process whereby potential participants are genuinely informed about their role, risk and rights before they are enrolled in the study. Thus, ethics committees in most countries require ‘informed consent form’ as part of an ethics application which is reviewed before granting research ethics approval. Despite a significant increase in health research activity in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) in recent years, only limited work has been done to address ethical concerns.

Most ethics committees in LMICs lack the authority and/or the capacity to monitor research in the field. This is important since not all research, particularly in LMICs region, complies with ethical principles, sometimes this is inadvertently or due to a lack of awareness of their importance in assuring proper research governance. With several examples from Nepal, this paper reflects on the steps required to obtain informed consents and highlights some of the major challenges and barriers to seeking informed consent from research participants. The authors offer some recommendations around how can we can promote and implement optimal informed consent taking process.

The paper will appear later this year in the international journal Developing World Bioethics (publisher: Wiley). Finally, just out of interest five out of six of the authors are graduates of the University of Aberdeen!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

Reference:

Regmi, P.R., Aryal, N., Kurmi, O., Pant, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Wasti, P.P. (2016) Informed consent in health research: challenges and barriers in low-and middle-income countries with specific reference to Nepal, Developing World Bioethics (Online HERE )

15 August 2016

Mental health project in Nepal highlighted in national media

conferences, international Edwin van Teijlingen

At the National Workshop on Mental Health Education & Research in Kathmandu organised by Tribhuvan University, Bournemouth University and Liverpool John Moores University last week we had quite a few television camera crews and journalists present. Sabitri Dhakal, one of the journalists from The Himalayan Times an English-language daily newspaper in Nepal, wrote a nice feature length article. This piece was based on interviews with BU Visiting Faculty Padam Simkhada and Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen conducted at our workshop. Her article with the title ‘Understanding Mental Health’ is available online.

Mental health in pregnant women and new mothers is increasing recognised on the global health agenda. In Nepal mental health is generally a difficult to topic to discuss. THET, a London-based organisation, funded Bournemouth University, and Liverpool John Moores University in the UK and Tribhuvan University in Nepal to train community-based maternity workers on issues around mental health. Thus far three groups of UK health and education experts have gone out to Nepal to train these communit maternity care providers, called Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). ANMs, who are the key maternity service providers in rural birthing centres of Nepal, have received only 18 months of training and the training curriculum does not refer to dealing with mental health issues. The next group of volunteers is due to travel in September.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

12 August 2016

Successful outcomes of Fusion project – Social interaction in the event experience

Fusion, Fusion Investment Fund, international lmarques

After nearly a year, the Fusion project on Social interaction in the event experience led by Dr Lenia Marques (Department of Event and Leisure, Faculty of Management) came to an end. The main aim of the project was to develop tools to better analyse the experience of events for audiences, focusing in particular on the social interaction part of the event experience.

Participants in the ATLAS SIG Events, UOC, Spain

Overall, the project was successful, contributing to advances in research and also to reinforcing and expanding an international network in the field of events, and also feeding into leisure and tourism.

Several meetings took place between the partners of the project (U.K.,Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Romania) and also involved other partners along the way (Brazil and South Africa).The first results were presented in two conferences and the outputs will be published shortly.

Discussing preliminary results

The project shed new light on the different dimensions of the event experience, and in particular how audiences interact with each other in and beyond the event. This is only considered as a beginning, since the partners are continuing to using the tools and work together towards using the results and developing professional practice advice.

Board of Directors of the World Leisure Organization at the World Leisure Congress, South Africa

As principal investigator, I’m very satisfied with the outcomes and look forward to building on the work of the past year. This is also the time to publicly acknowledge all the partners who supported and gave valuable input to the project, as well as all the students, who in one way or the other, contributed to this project. To all those who assisted, a big thank you.

12 August 2016

100+ Nepal health publications

BRIAN, international, PG research, Publishing, Research assessment, Research Ethics, Training, writing Edwin van Teijlingen

At a television interview this morning in Kathmandu I was asked how many papers I had published on health and health-related issues in Nepal. I told the interviewer from BTV Business that it was around 90 to a hundred. Coming back to Green Tara Nepal office I decide to update the list of papers on Nepal to make sure I had not lied too much on TV.

Adding up the papers, editorials and, to a lesser extent, book chapters I was pleasantly surprised that there were 25 on maternity care & midwifery, 18 on sexual & reproductive health, nine on infectious diseases, five on non-communicable diseases, six on nutrition & child health, three on mental health, two on migration and a further mixture of 38 on topics such as health systems, research methods, or health & education capacity building. If I have not double counted any of the papers that a grand total of 106. Most are co-authored with BU Visiting Faculty Prof.Padam Simkhada (from Liverpool John Moores University), many with PhD students conducting projects in Nepal and, more recently with BU post-doctoral fellow Dr. Pramod Regmi.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

Reference (by topic)

Maternal & Neonatal Health & Midwifery

Simkhada, B, van Teijlingen E, Porter, M, Simkhada, P. (2006) Major problems and key issues in Maternal Health in Nepal (Review article), Kathmandu University Medical Journal, 4(2): 261-266. kumj.com.np/ftp/issue/14/Major-problems-and-key-issues-in-maternal-health-in-Nepal.pdf
Dhakal, S., Chapman, G., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E., Stephens J., Raja, A.E. (2007) Utilisation of postnatal care among rural women in Nepal, BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 7(19). Web: biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2393-7-19.pdf
Simkhada, B., van Teijlingen E., Porter, M., Simkhada, P. (2008) Factors affecting the utilisation of antenatal care in developing countries: a systematic review of the literature, Journal of Advanced Nursing 61(3): 244-260.
Teijlingen van, E., Simkhada, P., Ireland, J. (2010) Lessons learnt from undertaking maternity-care research in developing countries. Evidence-based Midwifery 8(1): 12-6.
Simkhada, B., Porter, M., van Teijlingen, E. (2010) The role of mothers-in-law in antenatal care decision-making in Nepal: A qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 10(34) biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2393-10-34.pdf
Baral, Y.R, Lyons, K., Skinner, J, van Teijlingen, E. (2010) Determinants of skilled birth attendants for delivery in Nepal Kathmandu University Medical Journal 8(3): 325-332. http://www.kumj.com.np/issue/31/325-332.pdf
.Acharya, D.R., Bell, J., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E., Regmi, P.R. (2010) Women’s autonomy in decision-making for health care: A demographic study in Nepal. Reproductive Health 9(15) reproductive-health-journal.com/content/pdf/1742-4755-7-15.pdf
Dhakal, S., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Dhakal, K.B., Stephens J., Chapman, G., Raja, A.E. (2011) Antenatal care among women in rural Nepal: A community-based study. Online Journal of Rural Nursing & Health Care 11 (2): 76-87. http://rnojournal.binghamton.edu/index.php/RNO/article/view/20/17
Dhakal, S., van Teijlingen, E., Raja, A.E., Dhakal, K.B. (2011) Skilled care at birth among rural women in Nepal: practice & challenges Journal of Health, Population & Nutrition 29 (4): 371-378.
Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E, Sharma, G., Simkhada, B., Townend, J. (2012) User costs and informal payments for care in the largest maternity hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, Health Science Journal 6(2): 317-334. hsj.gr/volume6/issue2/6212.pdf
Baral, Y.R, Lyons, K., Skinner, J, van Teijlingen, E.R. (2012) Maternal health services utilisation in Nepal: Progress in the new millennium? Health Science Journal 6(4): 618-633. hsj.gr/volume6/issue4/644.pdf
Joshi, R., Sharma, S., van Teijlingen, E. (2013) Improving neonatal health in Nepal: Major challenges to achieving Millennium Development Goal 4, Health Science Journal 7(3): 247-257. http://www.hsj.gr/index.files/Page1421.htm
Bogren, M., van Teijlingen, E., Berg. M. (2013) Where midwives are not yet recognised: A feasibility study of professional midwives in Nepal, Midwifery 29(10): 1103-1109.
Simkhada, B., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Porter, A.M., Wasti, S.P. (2014) Why do costs act as a barrier in maternity care for some, but not all women? A qualitative study in rural Nepal, International Journal of Social Economics 41 (8): 705-713.
Bogren, M.U., Bajracharya, K., Berg, M., Erlandsson, K., Ireland, J., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2013) Nepal needs midwifery, Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences (JMMIHS) 1(2): 41-44. nepjol.info/index.php/JMMIHS/article/view/9907/8082
Simkhada, B., Sharma, A., van Teijlingen, E., Silwal, R.C., Simkhada, P. (2015) Exploring Maternal Mortality Reduction. In: Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P. & van Teijlingen, E. (Eds.) The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: Social Science Baha & Himal Books: 95-121.
Simkhada, B., Porter, M., Teijlingen van E. (2011) My mother-in-law tells me what to do, Midwives (official magazine of the Royal College of Midwives) issue 4: 34-36.
Teijlingen van, E., Simkhada, B., Simkhada, P. (2013) Midwifery and maternity care in Nepal: the vital link, The Practising Midwife 16 (10): 24-27.
Milne, L., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Ireland, J. (2015) Staff perspectives of barriers to women accessing birthing services in Nepal: A qualitative study BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 15:142 biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/15/142
Sathian, B De A, Simkhada P, Malla K, Ghosh A, Basnet S, Roy B (2015) Time Trend of Pneumonia in under Five Children of Nepal. American Journal of Public Health Research 3 (4A), 27-30
Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C. (2016) Birthing centres in Nepal: Recent developments, obstacles and opportunities, Journal of Asian Midwives 3(1): 18-30. http://ecommons.aku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1033&context=jam
Mahato, P.K., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C., Sathian, B. (2015) Birthing centre infrastructure in Nepal post 2015 earthquake. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 5(4): 518-519. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/14260/11579
Sharma, S., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Angell, C., Simkhada, P. (2016) Dirty and 40 days in the wilderness: Eliciting childbirth and postnatal cultural practices and beliefs in Nepal BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 16: 147 https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-016-0938-4
Sharma, S., van Teijlingen, E., Belizán, J.M., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Sicuri, E. (2016) Measuring What Works: An impact evaluation of women’s groups on maternal health uptake in rural Nepal, PLOS One 11(5): e0155144 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0155144
Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Sharma, S., Mahato, P. (2016) Sustainable Development Goals: relevance to maternal & child health in Nepal. Health Prospect 15(1):9-10. www.healthprospect.org/archives/15/1/3.pdf

Sexual & Reproductive Health

Simkhada, P., Bhatta, P., van Teijlingen E. (2006) Importance of piloting a questionnaire on sexual health research (Letter), Wilderness & Environmental Medical Journal, 17(4): 295-296. wemjournal.org/wmsonline/?request=get-document&issn=1080-6032&volume=017&issue=04&page=0295#Ref
Simkhada, P., Bhatta, P., van Teijlingen E., Regmi, P. (2010) Sexual health knowledge, sexual relationships and condom use among male trekking guides in Nepal. Culture, Health & Sexuality 12(1): 45-58.
Acharya, D.R., van Teijlingen E.R., Simkhada P. (2009) Opportunities & challenges in school-based sex & sexual health education in Nepal. Kathmandu University Medical Journal 7(4): 445-453 Web: http://kumj.com.np/ftp/issue/28/445-453.pdf
Regmi P., Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen E. (2010) “Boys Remain Prestigious, Girls Become Prostitutes”: Socio-Cultural Context of Relationships & Sex among Young People in Nepal, Global Journal of Health Science 2(1): 60-72. http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/viewFile/3951/4542
Simkhada, B., Porter, M., van Teijlingen, E. (2010) The role of mothers-in-law in antenatal care decision-making in Nepal: A qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 10(34) biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2393-10-34.pdf
Baral, Y.R, Lyons, K., Skinner, J, van Teijlingen, E. (2010) Determinants of skilled birth attendants for delivery in Nepal Kathmandu University Medical Journal 8(3): 325-332. http://www.kumj.com.np/issue/31/325-332.pdf
Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E. (2010) Dating and Sex among Emerging Adults in Nepal. Journal of Adolescence Research 26 (6): 675-700.
Ghimire, L., van Teijlingen E. (2009) Barriers to utilisation of sexual health services by female sex workers in Nepal, Global Journal of Health Science 1(1): 12-22 web address: http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/viewFile/93/1062
Regmi, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen (2008) Sexual and reproductive health status among young people in Nepal: opportunities & barriers for sexual health education & service utilisation, Kathmandu University Medical Journal 6(2): 248-256. http://kumj.com.np/ftp/issue/22/248-256.pdf
Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E, Simkhada, P., Acharya, D. (2010) Barriers to sexual health services for young people in Nepal. Journal of Health Population & Nutrition 28: 619-627.
Acharya, D.R., Bhattarai, R, Poobalan, A, van Teijlingen E.R., Chapman, G. (2010) Factors associated with teenage pregnancy in South Asia: a systematic review. Health Sciences Journal 4 (1): 3-14. web address: hsj.gr/volume4/issue1/402.pdf
Ghimire, L., Smith, W.C.S., van Teijlingen, E. (2011) Utilisation of sexual health services by female sex workers in Nepal, BMC Health Services Research 11: 79 biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6963-11-79.pdf
Ghimire, L., Smith, W.C.S., van Teijlingen, E., Dahal, R., Luitel, N.P. (2011) Reasons for non- use of condoms and self-efficacy among female sex workers: A qualitative study in Nepal, BMC Women’s Health 11: 42 biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6874-11-42.pdf
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Acharya, D.R., Schildbach, E., Silwa, P.R., Shrestha, J., Pandey, P.L. (2012) Sexual and reproductive health of adolescents in rural Nepal: Knowledge, attitudes and behavior. Nepal Population Journal 17(16): 3-10.
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Regmi, P., Bhatta, P., Ingham, R., Stone, N. (2015) Sexual health knowledge and risky sexual behaviour of Nepalese trekking guides. Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences 1(4): 35-42
Acharya, D.R., Regmi, P., Simkhada, P. van Teijlingen, E. (2015) Modernisation and Changes in Attitudes towards Sex and Relationships in Young People. In: Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P. & van Teijlingen, E. (Eds.) The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: Social Science Baha & Himal Books: 63-94.
Simkhada, P.P., Sharma, A., van Teijlingen, E.R., Beanland, R,L. (2016) Factors influencing sexual behaviour between tourists and tourism employees: A systematic review. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 6(1): 530-538. nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/14735/11952
Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E. (2015) Importance of Health and Social Care Research into Gender and Sexual Minority Populations in Nepal. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 27(8): 806-808. http://aph.sagepub.com/content/27/8/806.full

Infectious diseases

Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E. (2009) Antiretroviral treatment programmes in Nepal: Problems and barriers. Kathmandu University Medical Journal 7(3): 306-314 web address: http://kumj.com.np/ftp/issue/27/306-314.pdf
Wasti, S.P., Randal, J., Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E. (2011) In what way do Nepalese cultural factors affect adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Nepal? Health Science Journal 5(1): 37-47.
Wasti, S.P., van Teijlingen E., Simkhada, P., Randall, J., Baxter, S., Kirkpatrick, P., Vijay Singh Gc. (2012) Factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Asian developing countries: a systematic review, Tropical Medicine & International Health 17(1): 71-81. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2011.02888.x/pdf
Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P., Randall, J., van Teijlingen, E., Freeman, J. (2012) Factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Nepal: a mixed-methods study. PLoS ONE 7(5): e35547. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035547. plosone.org/article/fetchArticle;jsessionid=9F031521BFD51A9FA385083CE75F8072?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0035547
Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2012) Ethical and Practical Challenges in Conducting Fieldwork on a Sensitive Topic (HIV) in Nepal, In: Loubere, N., Morgan, R., Kruckenberg, L., De Beukelaer, C. & Hernandez Montes De Oca, P. (eds.) RiDNET Practical Fieldwork Notes, Leeds: Researchers in Development Network (RiDNet), University of Leeds,Vol.1: 9.
Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P., Randall, J., van Teijlingen, E., Freeman, J. (2012) Barriers to & facilitators of antiretroviral therapy adherence in Nepal: a qualitative study. Journal of Health, Population & Nutrition 30(4): 410-419. jhpn.net/index.php/jhpn/article/view/1492/893
Devkota, S., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Rai, L.D. (2012) Media use for Health Promotion: Communicating Childhood Immunisation Messages to Parents. Journal of Health Promotion 4(1): 1-9.
Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P. & van Teijlingen, E. (Eds.) (2015) Socio-Cultural Aspects of HIV/AIDS. In: The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: Social Science Baha & Himal Books: 47-62.
Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P, Randall, J., van Teijlingen E. (2009) Issues & Challenges of HIV/AIDS Prevention & Treatment Programme in Nepal, Global Journal of Health Science 1(2): 62-72. http://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/gjhs/article/viewFile/2460/3474

Non-Communicable Diseases

Adhikary, P., Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen E., Raja, A.E. (2008) Health and Lifestyle of Nepalese Migrants in the UK BMC International Health and Human Rights 8(6). Web address: biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/8/6.
Gyawali, B., Keeling, J., van Teijlingen, E., Dhakal. L., Aro, A.R. (2015) Cervical Cancer Screening: Ethical Consideration, Medicolegal & Bioethics 5: 1-6
Gyawali, B., Neupane, D., Sharma, R., Mishra, S.R., van Teijlingen, E., Kallestrup, P. (2015) Prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Nepal: Systematic review & meta-analysis from 2000 to 2014 Global Health Action 8: 29088 globalhealthaction.net/index.php/gha/article/view/29088/pdf_189
Sathian, B. , De, A. ,van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. , Banerjee, I. , Roy, B. , Supram, H. , Devkota, S. , E, R. (2015). Time Trend of the Suicide Incidence in India: a Statistical Modelling. American Journal of Public Health Research, 3(5A), 80-87. http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajphr/3/5A/17/index.html
Regmi, P.R., Kurmi, O., Aryal, N., Pant, P.P., Banstola, A., Alloh, F., van Teijlingen, E., (2016) Diabetes prevention and management in South Asia: A call for action. International Journal of Food, Nutrition & Public Health (IJFNPH) 8(2): 107-116. http://www.wasd.org.uk/download/diabetes-prevention-and-management-in-south-asia-a-call-for-action/

Nutrition & Child Development

Singh, S., Rajendra Kumar, B., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E. (2007) Health status & health needs of the orphan children in Kathmandu, Nepal, Journal of Nepal Health Research Council 5(2): 39-48.
Singh, S., van Teijlingen E.R., Simkhada, P. (2007) Health status and health needs of the orphan children in Kathmandu, Nepal: The findings of a pilot study, Stupa: Journal of Health Sciences 3 (1&2): 44-54.
Devkota, S., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Rai, L.D. (2013) Childhood Immunisation in Nepal: Parents’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour & implications for Health Policy. Health Science Journal 7(4):370-383.hsj.gr/volume7/issue4/743.pdf
Acharya, J., van Teijlingen, E., Murphy, J., Hind, M. (2015) Study of nutritional problems in preschool aged children in Kaski District in Nepal, Journal of Multidisciplinary Research in Healthcare 1(2): 97-118. http://dspace.chitkara.edu.in/jspui/bitstream/1/560/1/12007_JMRH_Acharya.pdf
Subedi, Y.P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2016) Where is Nepal in the Demographic Transition within the wider context of the Nutrition Transition? Open Journal of Social Sciences 4: 155-166. http://file.scirp.org/pdf/JSS_2016052310320947.pdf
Simkhada, P., Sathian, B., Adhikari, S., van Teijlingen, E., Roy, B. (2015) Is early diagnose for Vitamin A deficiency better than the current supplementation programme of Nepal? Journal of Biomedical Sciences 2(4):28-30. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/JBS/index

Mental Health

Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E., Winter, R.C., Fanning, C., Dhungel, A., Marahatta S.B. (2015) Why are so many Nepali women killing themselves? A review of key issues Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences 4(1): 43-49.
Simkhada, P.P., van Teijlingen, E., Marahatta, S.B. (2015) Mental health services in Nepal: Is it too late? Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences 1(4): 1-2.
van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Devkota, B., Fanning, P., Ireland, J., Simkhada, B., Sherchan, L., Silwal, R.C., Pradhan, S., Maharjan, S.K., Maharjan, R.K. (2015) Mental health issues in pregnant women in Nepal. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 5(3): 499-501. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/13607/11007

Migration / Occupational Health

Adhikary, P., Keen, S., van Teijlingen, E. (2011) Health Issues among Nepalese migrant workers in the Middle East. Health Science Journal 5: 169-175. hsj.gr/volume5/issue3/532.pdf
Sapkota, T., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2014) Nepalese health workers’ migration to the United Kingdom: A qualitative study. Health Science Journal 8(1): 57-74.

Other (including: health systems, research methods, capacity building)

Simkhada, P, Shyangdan, D, van Teijlingen E, Kadel, S, Stephen, J., Gurung, T. (2013) Women’s Knowledge & Attitude towards Disability in Rural Nepal. Disability & Rehabilitation 35(7): 606-613. http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09638288.2012.702847
van Teijlingen, E.R., Simkhada, B, Ireland J, Simkhada P, Bruce J. (2012) Evidence-based health care in Nepal: The importance of systematic reviews, Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 1(4): 114-118.
Kirkpatrick, P., van Teijlingen E. (2009) Lost in Translation: Reflecting on a Model to Reduce Translation and Interpretation Bias, The Open Nursing Journal, 3(8): 25-32 web address: bentham.org/open/tonursj/openaccess2.htm
van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Stephen, J., Simkhada, B., Woodes Rogers, S., Sharma, S. (2012) Making the best use of all resources: developing a health promotion intervention in rural Nepal. Health Renaissance 10(3): 229-235. healthrenaissance.org.np/uploads/7141_24852_1_PB.pdf
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Pokharel, T., Devkota, B., Pathak, R.S. (2013) Research Methods Coverage in Medical & Health Science Curricula in Nepal, Nepal Journal Epidemiology 3(3): 253-258. nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/9185
van Teijlingen E.R., Simkhada, P.P. (2012) Ethical approval in developing countries is not optional, Journal of Medical Ethics 38: 428-430.
Devkota, B., van Teijlingen, E. (2012) “Why did they join?” Exploring the motivation of rebel health workers in Nepal Journal of Conflictology 3(1): 18-29. http://journals.uoc.edu/index.php/journal-of-conflictology/article/viewFile/vol3iss1-joc/vol3iss1-joc
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Devkota, B., Pathak, R.S., Sathian, B. (2014) Accessing research literature: A mixed-method study of academics in Higher Education Institutions in Nepal, Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 4(4): 405-14. nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/11375
van Teijlingen, E, Simkhada, P., Wasti, P.P. (2015) Nepal is Changing: Modernisation and Diversity in Healthcare. In: Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P. & van Teijlingen, E. (Eds.) The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: Social Science Baha & Himal Books: 1-15.
Devkota, B., van Teijlingen, E. (2015) Exploring Rebel Health Services during the Maoist People’s War. In: Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P. & van Teijlingen, E. (Eds.) The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: Social Science Baha & Himal Books: 122-130.
Devkota, S., Maharjan, H.M., van Teijlingen, E. (2015) Media and Health. In: Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P. & van Teijlingen, E. (Eds.) The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: Social Science Baha & Himal Books: 169-184.
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Wasti, S.P. (2015) Final thoughts. In: Wasti, S.P., Simkhada, P.P. & van Teijlingen, E. (Eds.) The Dynamics of Health in Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal: Social Science Baha & Himal Books: 222-228.
Devkota, B., van Teijlingen E. (2007) Basic health as peace dividend in post-conflict Nepal, Journal of HEPASS, 3(1): 21-23.
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2010) Higher education in Nepal: Several challenges ahead. Diaspora, 3 (1): 44-47.
Simkhada, P., Baral, Y.R., van Teijlingen E. (2010) Health & Medical Research: A Bibliometric Review, Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 22(4): 492-500 web address http://aph.sagepub.com/content/22/4/492.full.pdf+html
Devkota, B., van Teijlingen E. (2010) Demystifying the Maoist Barefoot Doctors of Nepal, Medicine, Conflict & Survival 26(2): 108-123.
Devkota, B., van Teijlingen, E. (2010) Understanding effects of armed conflict on health outcomes: the case of Nepal. Conflict & Health 4 (20) http://www.conflictandhealth.com/content/4/1/20
van Teijlingen E., Simkhada, B., Porter, M., Simkhada, P., Pitchforth, E., Bhatta, P. (2011) Qualitative research methods and its place in health research in Nepal, Kathmandu University Medical Journal 9(4): 301-305.
van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Stephen, J. (2013) Doing focus groups in the health field: Some lessons from Nepal, Health Prospect 12(1): 15-17. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/8722/7111
Neupane, D., van Teijlingen, E., Khanal, V., Mishra, S.R., Kallestrup, P. (2013) Involving Nepali academics in health research Health Prospect 12 (2): 21-23. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/9868/8056
van Teijlingen, E., Ireland, J., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Sathian, B. (2014) Finding the right title for your article: Advice for academic authors, Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 4(1): 344-347.
Devkota, B., van Teijlingen E. (2009) Politicians in Apron: Case study of Rebel Health Services in Nepal, Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 21(4): 377-384.
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E., Kadel, S., Stephens, J., Sharma, S., Sharma, M. (2009) Reliability of National Data Sets: Evidence from a Detailed Small Area Study in Rural Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Asian Journal of Epidemiology 2(2): 44-48.
Bhatta, P., Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen E., Maybin, S. (2009) A questionnaire study of VSO volunteers: Health risk & problems encountered. Journal of Travel Medicine 16(5): 332-337.
P., Teijlingen van, E. (2012) Role of Individual Academics & International Universities in Health Research in Nepal (Guest Editorial), Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 2(2): 179-181. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/6572/5364
van Teijlingen, E., Benoit, C., Bourgeault, I., DeVries, R., Sandall, J., Wrede, S. (2015) Learning from health care in other countries: the prospect of comparative research, Health Prospect 14(1): 8-12. nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/13036/10525
Ireland, J., van Teijlingen, E., Kemp, J. (2015) Twinning in Nepal: the Royal College of Midwives UK and the Midwifery Society of Nepal working in partnership, Journal of Asian Midwives 2 (1): 26-33. http://ecommons.aku.edu/jam/vol2/iss1/5/
Sharma, S., Joshi, P., van Teijlingen, E. (2015) ‘Nepenglish’ or ‘Nepali English’: A new version of English? Asian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences 4(2): 188-193. ajssh.leena-luna.co.jp/AJSSHPDFs/Vol.4%282%29/AJSSH2015%284.2-21%29.pdf
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Wasti, S.P., Sathian, B. (2014) Mixed-methods approaches in health research in Nepal (editorial) Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 4(5): 415-416.
Sharma, A, Tuladhar, G., Dhungel, A., Padmadharini, van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2015) Health Promotion: A review of policies and practices in Nepal, Public Health Perpective 5(2): http://phpnepal.org/index.php?listId=941#.VO4Qvn9tXkd
Simkhada, P., Lee, A., van Teijlingen, E., Karki, P., Neupane, C.H. (2015) Need and importance of health protection training in Nepal, Nepal Journal of Epidemiology (editorial) 5(1): 441-43. nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/12373/10032
Pant, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P. (2015) Importance of public health in low- and middle- income countries. In: Vaidya, K., ed. (2015) Public Health for the Curious: Why Study Public Health? Canberra: The Curious Academic Publishing. ISBN 9781925128581
Simkhada, P., van Teijlingen, E., Pant, P.R., Sathian, B., Tuladhar, G. (2015) Public Health, Prevention & Health Promotion in Post-Earthquake Nepal, Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 5(2): 462-464. nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/12826
Simkhada, P., Regmi, P.R., Pant, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Sathian, B. (2015) Stipulating citizens’ fundamental right to healthcare: Inference from the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nepal 2015. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 5(4); 516-517. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/14257/11576
Regmi, P.R., Aryal, N., Pant, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Devkota, B. (2015) Priority public health interventions and research agendas in post-earthquake Nepal. South East Asia Journal of Public Health 5(2): 7-12. http://www.banglajol.info/index.php/SEAJPH/article/view/28307/18835
Sahay, G., Devkota, B., van Teijlingen, E.R. (2016) Rebel Health Services in South Asia: Comparing Maoist-led Conflicts in India & Nepal, Sociological Bulletin 65(1):19-39.
Regmi, P.R., Aryal, N., van Teijlingen, E. (2016) Childbirth in the exam centres in Nepal: An overlooked Public Health issue!, Health Prospect 15(1): 20-21. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HPROSPECT/article/view/14745/11954
van Teijlingen, E., Sathian, B., & Simkhada, P. (2016). Zika & Nepal: a far greater risk for its population than to individuals. Medical Science 4(2): 312-313. http://www.pubmedhouse.com/journals/ms/articles/1064/PMHID1064.pdf

11 August 2016

THET maternal mental health training in Kathmandu

conferences, international, Public engagement, Training Edwin van Teijlingen

Today we completed the second day of training of health teachers, lecturers in nursng, public health and the like in Kathmandu. We called it the National Workshop on Mental Health Education & Research and this two-day workshop was held in a hotel in Kathmandu. It was organised by Tribhuvan University in collaboration with Bournemouth University and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). Mental health is high on the global agenda and want to raise the issue more in Nepal. The three universities are working together on an education intervention training Auxiliary Nurse Midwives in Nawalparasi on mental health issues and mental health promotion. The project is funded under the Health Partnership Scheme (HPS) from DfID and managed by THET (Tropical Health & Education Trust).

Key speakers on the first day of the workshop included: the VC of Tribhuvan University, Dr Gangalal Tuladhar MP and former Education Minister of Nepal, Dr Khem Karki (head of the Nepal Health Research Council), Dr Chandra Kala Sharma, Prof Shyam Krishna Maharjan and Prof Krishna Acharya.

This workshop is part of this capacity building process and the audience of largely university and college lecturers will take some of the learning back with them to improve the education of health workers in Nepal.

The second day of the workshop concentrateed on research methods for community-based projects such as this our THET funded one in the mental health field. Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen reminded the audience that it is important that novel mental health interventions like ours are properly evaluated, and that the people doing the evaluations have the appropriate research skills. The next group of UK volunteers are due to travel to Nepal in September.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

11 August 2016

Public Health in Nepal: Vitamine A

international, open access, Publishing Edwin van Teijlingen

This week we published an editorial in the Journal of Biomedical Sciences on the question: “Is early diagnose for Vitamin A deficiency better than the current supplementation programme of Nepal?”
The editorial concludes that prevention is still better than cure, but instead of a mass Vitamin A supplementation in Nepal, we need a health promotion intervention aiming to increase the intake of relatively cheap vegetables and fruit (containing β carotene). In addition we need better surveillance and help to identify children with Vitamin A Deficiency and provide them with Vitamin A supplements. The primary focus should be on adopting sustainable food based approaches to combat vitamin A deficiency. In Public Health terms: rather than a blanket coverage of Vitamin A supplementation to whole population we should consider a targeted intervention aimed at those who need it most.

Reference:
Simkhada P, Sathian B, Adhikari S, van Teijlingen E, Roy B. (2015) Is early diagnose for Vitamin A deficiency better than the current supplementation programme of Nepal?. J Biomed Sci. 2(4):28-30.
http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/JBS/index

10 August 2016

A great opportunity from the collaboration of Bournemouth University and Nuffield Foundation

innovation, international, student research, Training Francesco Ferraro

The Faculty of Health & Social Sciences (FHSS) has been hosting four Nuffield Foundation-funded college students this summer as part of Nuffield’s Research Placement programme. Two of the students (Jamie Singleton and Freddie Corrie-Deane) are working under the guidance of FHSS PhD student Francesco Ferraro, who is supervised by Professors Alison McConnell, Tom Wainwright and Dr James Gavin.

Jamie and Freddie joined us on the 25th of July and they are already familiar with many research aspects, such as: writing a review, dealing with ethical issues, using complex devices and tackling statistical issues.

Francesco has found the experience of working with the students rewarding from many perspectives: “I do trust their questioning and their will to learn and understand more, as it will help the project adding new questions. Conducting research is not simply a duty to search for results; producing research involves the ability to share it, by allowing others to join, bringing their own curiosity and surprise”.

A quote from Richard Feynman sums up the project so far “I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.”

Here are a few thoughts from those involved in Freddie and Jamie’s Nuffield placements:

“Joining a research study, I knew I was in for a hefty chunk of reading, and with a pessimistic outlook I thought it would all be dry and bland, and that it would be the source of countless days of boredom. Thankfully I was wrong, and while I did have to spend an obligatory day or two reading background information, studies and manuals; the rest of this placement has been involved with the workings of brand-new machinery in the Orthopaedic Research Institute and going out into the local community to talk with people, both of which have been challenging and engaging in all of the right ways to make this experience an enjoyable one.

Our engagement in the community started very early into the placement, on the second day in fact, when we tagged along with Francesco (Our PhD Student overseer/mentor) to an area of sheltered housing to help him give a talk on his study, it was some really good hands on experience (it didn’t hurt that we were offered a biscuit or two). Following this line of talking to people, Jamie and I have spent the last couple of days walking around the gardens by the seaside talking to people and filling out surveys.

We have also spent a day or two engrossed in the outstanding labs in the Orthopaedic Research Institute, equipped with an amazing range of equipment from a pair of surgery VR simulators that bring in experts and surgeons from all over Europe, to the intricate and ever useful Primus Machine which has more potential and customisable positions than there are hours in the day and so understandably has just as many uses.”

Freddie

“During the past two weeks at Bournemouth University, we have had lots of hands on experience and witnessed the fun sides of research and also, the not-quite side. The latter, quite funnily enough, involved vast amounts of background reading and studying of protocols. The more enjoyable hands on experience however, consisted of being introduced to and working in the Orthopaedic Research Institute Labs testing out protocols. Much to our disappointment… we had to use numerous fun and expensive pieces of equipment, it was at this point we knew this was the right place to be.

Amongst playing around with expensive machinery such as the PrimusRS and the Virtual Reality machines, we got to do some real work. This work was tough yet enriching and consisted of explaining what the research was about and why it is essential to a sheltered community, and of course when asked, accepting the offer for tea and biscuits. Visiting the shelter did give me an insight into the recruitment process for research projects, and I was quite surprised of how laid back it was.

Next, this time for real we did have work to do such as reading protocols, resources, and informative documents needed to produce our review which was not the most exciting experience however, it was made up for by the interesting walks we went on, through the Lower Gardens, in order to gather vital information that we needed for our project analysis of the PASE questionnaire.”

Jamie

“I was really excited to visit our Nuffield students who are working with Francesco Ferraro at Bournemouth University. I was particularly keen to see how they have been integrated into the team working on a real life application. I was surprised by the highly technical, world class, equipment available to the team. I was also surprised to see how health care is being ‘gamefied’ with the balance app and the ‘Grail’. Thank you for having us.”

Rachel Delourme (STEM Advisor & Sustainability Co-ordinator at Cornwall Council) and Shayan Bahadori (from Nuffield Foundation).

“Freddie and Jamie have been a huge asset to Francesco’s work over the past couple of weeks. They have worked together as a team to solve problems and test solutions, and I can see how all three of them have benefitted from the experience. I’d recommend hosting Nuffield placement students to anyone; they’ve been a pleasure to have around and they’ve both made valuable contributions to our work.”

Alison McConnell

8 August 2016

Small companies offered £1.2m to seek out global partners

Business Engagement, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange jcodling

Innovate UK has launched a fund to encourage small British firms to work with international businesses and to help them enter global markets.

UK businesses looking to create international business networks can apply for funding to enable commercial research and innovation partnerships. It will also help businesses explore ideas for future collaboration.

Innovate UK is funding this competition. It is open to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The funding will enable SMEs to carry out short feasibility studies and spend time abroad. The competition will encourage UK firms to create long term partnerships with overseas companies. It will also help them gain a better understanding of collaborative opportunities.

Competition information

The competition opens on 5 August 2016
The deadline for registration is noon on 21 September 2016
The deadline for application is noon on 28 September 2016
A UK SME must lead the project
A UK SME can carry out the project on their own or work with other UK partners
Only UK SMEs will receive funding
Innovate UK will fund projects with eligible costs of up to £30,000
Businesses may receive funding of up to 70% of their total project costs
Projects should last up to 4 months

Click here for further information and how to apply.

5 August 2016

Health Promotion intervention planning in rural Nepal

international, PG research, student research, Training Edwin van Teijlingen

Today and yesterday Green Tara Nepal (GTN) staff spent discussing and planning their health promotion intervention in the district of Dhading. The sessions included feedback by the GTN on progress to-date as well as a discussion of their perceptions of the various relevant health needs in the community. BU has been working with GTN for over seven years. [1] Yesterday BU professor Edwin van Teijlingen gave an interactive workshop on communication skills. This morning BU’s Visiting Professor Padam Simkhada from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) outlined key health promotion concepts and theories to the fieldworkers.

This particular post-disaster health promotion project grew out of years of research-based interventions run by GTN and the needs seen in areas affected by last years’ serious earthquakes in Nepal. The project has received support from various funding agencies, including Green Tara Trust, a London-based Buddhist charity. The training is being held in Dhadingbesi, about four hours drive away from the capital Kathmandu. The various photos with this blog show the results of a social mapping exercise. These included some beautifully hand-drawn maps of the individual wards in the area, indicating where the health post is situated, but more importantly the house of currently pregnant women.

Several GTN project have been, or ar currently, evaluated by FHSS Ph.D. students. The GTN project in Pharping has been evaluated by Sheetal Sharma, who has published several papers from this research.[2-4] The GTN project in Nawalparasi is currently being studied by Preeti Mahato, who has also already published from her thesis research despite being less than halfway through. [5] Prof. Padam Simkhada is external supervisor for both these BU Ph.D students.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

CMMPH

References:

van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P, Stephen J, Simkhada B, Woodes Rogers S, Sharma S. (2012) Making the best use of all resources: developing a health promotion intervention in rural Nepal. Health Renaissance 10(3): 229-235. healthrenaissance.org.np/uploads/7141_24852_1_PB.pdf
Sharma, S., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Angell, C., Simkhada, P. (2016) Dirty and 40 days in the wilderness: Eliciting childbirth and postnatal cultural practices and beliefs in Nepal BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 16: 147 https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-016-0938-4
Sharma, S., van Teijlingen, E., Belizán, J.M., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Sicuri, E. (2016) Measuring What Works: An impact evaluation of women’s groups on maternal health uptake in rural Nepal, PLOS One 11(5): e0155144 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0155144
Regmi, P., van Teijlingen, E., Hundley, V., Simkhada, P., Sharma, S., Mahato, P. (2016) Sustainable Development Goals: relevance to maternal & child health in Nepal. Health Prospect 15(1):9-10. healthprospect.org/archives/15/1/3.pdf
Mahato, P., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C. (2016) Birthing centres in Nepal: Recent developments, obstacles and opportunities, Journal of Asian Midwives 3(1): 18-30. http://ecommons.aku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1033&context=jam
Mahato, P.K., Regmi, P.R., van Teijlingen, E., Simkhada, P., Angell, C., Sathian, B. (2015) Birthing centre infrastructure in Nepal post 2015 earthquake. Nepal Journal of Epidemiology 5(4): 518-519. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/NJE/article/view/14260/11579

5 August 2016

THET-project planning meeting in Kathmandu

Fusion, international, Public engagement Edwin van Teijlingen

This week we had our latest planning meeting for the BU-led and THET-funded project in Nepal. The project has been running for over a year (following a six-month delay due to the terrible 2015 earthquake in Nepal). The project brings highly experienced UK health volunteers to train local community-based maternity care practitioners about the key mental health issues in pregnancy and after birth. The Centre for Midwifery & Maternal Health (CMMPH) works in collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), the Department of Health, Physical and Population Education at Nepal’s largest university Tribhuvan University’s (TU). Our project is part of the Health Partnership Scheme (HPS), which funds health partnerships to carry out capacity-building projects in low-income countries, including Nepal. HPS itself is funded by the UK Department for International Development and managed by THET.

Halfway through the project we had an update meeting at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu to discuss and plan the second half of the project which runs until the spring in 2017. The maternal mental health project is a good example of BU’s FUSION approach as it combines Education (through the training of Auxiliary Nurse-Midwives) by UK volunteers (representing the Practice-element of FUSION) in an intervention that is Research-based in both its design and evaluation. The next group of UK volunteers is due to go out to southern Nepal in September 2016. The photo on the top shows one of the UK volunteers (a midwife from Aberdeen) in action with the aid of a Nepali translator during the latest training session in Nawalparasi in May 2016.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen (CMMPH) and Prof. Padam Simkhada (LJMU & BU Visiting Faculty)

4 August 2016

Research and Knowledge Exchange Development Framework – International Pathway

Funding opportunities, international, Knowledge Exchange, Training Emily Cieciura

We have previously posted about the Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE) Development Framework. Here, we introduce another of the pathways: that focusing on funding research via non-UK, international funders. This includes EU research.

Woman's Eye and World Globes For international activity, there will be a range of sessions, drawing on the current priorties in BU’s Global Engagement strategy There will be spearate sessions for major international funders, including US National Institutes of Health and other US-based funding agencies. There will also be exploration of applications to funders with an international mandate, such as Newton Fund calls. Importantly, with so many international funders available, we will be hosting sessions dedicated to finding the right international funders for researchers to consider. We’ll also be running a session giving information and examples relating to building partnerships and working with stakeholders. More events will be added to this pathway in 2017-18, and beyond, with a focus on emerging priorties for BU.

Euro_Flag For the European dimension, we are planning a wide range of sessions relating to European funding opportunities, by a mix of online resources and face-to-face sesions introducing the EU funding landscape and key calls. Sessions will draw on the knowledge of BU staff and external facilitators. At these events, you will be introduced to the details of specific call types within the three pillars of Horizon 2020, including, where possible, the experience of fellow-academics, who have been directly involved in receiving EU funding. We will also be inviting external experts to expand the range of calls to which BU academics apply. Important to EU bids, we’ll run a session giving information and examples relating to building robust partnerships and working with stakeholders. In common with other pathways, there will be practical sessions to help you the systems invovled. For the EU, this will include use of the Participant Portal, to plan and support your bidding activity. Often overlooked, we will also be running events to raise awareness of EU funding outside the flagship Horizon 2020 scheme, such as COST, Interreg and Creative Europe. Early in the 16/17 academic year, we will host our, always popular, annual UKRO information day for BU academics and research support staff.

We’ll be populating the the OD website with more information and the booking link over the coming weeks. We’ll also be providing a timetable of all events as soon as possible. In the meantime, updates will be posted on the BU Research Blog and the Faculty blogs.

3 August 2016

Creative Industries – new 5 year strategy

Business Engagement, innovation, international, Knowledge Exchange jcodling

The Creative Industries Council’s new 5 year strategy proclaims amazing news for the Creative Industries. With the sector growing at 8.9% a year (making it the second fastest growing sector), the UK’s Creative Industries is vital to the UK’s economy.

The 2016 strategy refresh is demanding but attainable, with a focus on driving economic value, through support for business growth, job growth, exports and inward investment. The sector seeks to build on existing trade relationships and to unlock the potential of the sector in international markets with a primary focus on the USA and key territories in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Review the Nesta/Creative England report on the Geography of Creativity . This includes rich content about regional opportunities.

29 July 2016

What a difference a game makes

international Edwin van Teijlingen

This time in Nepal I noticed for the first time that ordinary people know about Bournemouth. Over the past seven years, since I started at Bournemouth University, I have struggled to explain to taxi drivers, people sitting next to me on public transport, etc. where Bournemouth is situated. This time for the first time I am getting nods and positive signs of recognition. This has little to do with Bournemouth University’s various health and media research collaborations in the country, but it is all to do with The Cherries!

It started last year with Bournemouth’s first successfull year in the Premier League. AFC Bournemouth winning games against some of the top English team during last season has made AFC Bournemouth well-known among many Nepali football fans. So thank you to AFC Bournemouth for no longer having to explain that I work in Bournemouth at Bournemouth University. And that Bournemouth is about two hours away by train from London, southwest of London on the coast to be precise.

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal and Perinal Health

Bournemouth University

29 July 2016

Fieldwork preparation in Nepal

international, PG research Edwin van Teijlingen

If you have a number of research projects running in the same location it pays to combine some of the preparation. Thus as part of five different studies and one PhD project, I’m currently in Kathmandu. The projects are (1) the THET-funded intervention in Nawalparasi; (2) the CEL-funded qualitative research led by Dr. Catherine Angell on CPD (Continuous Professional Development); (3) the FHSS-funded project on transgender which is led by Dr. Pramod Regmi; (4) the FHSS-funded project with Pourakhi which supports Nepali women returning home after having been abroad as migrant workers; and (5) the Green Tara Trust funded project on improving maternal health care in Dhading and Nawalparasi, and the FHSS PhD project is that of Mrs. Preeti Mahato. Two of the project and the PhD topcic are closely related as all three cover maternity care in one for or another in Nawalparasi. The planning meetings we are having in Nepal involve planning training sessions and workshops, resource allocation and research preparation.

Fortunately, it is not all work. Today I enjoyed Kheer (Achar and Chana) for lunch in the Green Tara flat in Kathmandu a lovely rice pudding with slightly sour green vegetables and chick peas (see photo). The actual meal is traditionally health tomorrow but as this is the weekend the staff brought it one day forward so that I could join in too.

Finally, I like to thank colleagues who gave me mobile phones and a camera. One of the mobile phones is already in use by one of the Nepali charity workers in Kathmandu. I bought a new battery and memory card for camera in the UK and it is working fine, the photo with this blog has been taken with the donated camera!

Prof. Edwin van Teijlingen (writing from Nepal).

Centre for Midwifery, Maternal & Perinatal Health Research

26 July 2016

International collaboration awards for research professors

Funding opportunities, international jcodling

The Royal Society, under the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), invites applications for its international collaboration awards for research professors. These enable outstanding UK research leaders to develop international collaborations with the best research professors from around the world, to work on some of the global challenges and problems facing developing countries.

The objectives of the challenge awards are to:

•support the best UK scientists in establishing sustainable collaborations with internationally leading scientists based overseas;

•promote collaboration and sharing of knowledge through reciprocal visits between the visiting research professors and their research groups;

•support outstanding research through collaboration with the aim of addressing global challenges facing developing countries and benefiting people in these countries;

•facilitate the development of multidisciplinary collaborations and approaches that could help address the complex research questions posed by global challenges;

•attract outstanding international scientists and their teams to the UK’s best universities and research institutions;

•strengthen UK science and open up new opportunities to exploit and translate research for economic benefit.

Global challenge themes include: sustainable health and well-being; sustainable resources; sustainable growth; sustainable local research and innovation capacity.

Click here for further information including eligibility and the application process.

If you are interested in submitting to this call you must contact your RKEO Funding Development Officer with adequate notice before the deadline.

For more funding opportunities that are most relevant to you, you can set up your own personalised alerts on Research Professional. If you need help setting these up, just ask your School’s/Faculty’s Funding Development Officer in RKEO or view the recent blog post here.

If thinking of applying, why not add notification of your interest on Research Professional’s record of the bid so that BU colleagues can see your intention to bid and contact you to collaborate.

19 July 2016

Irena Paszkiewicz represents BU students at 2016 LARASA World Leisure Congress in South Africa

conferences, international, student research lmarques

MSc Irena Paszkiewicz (Faculty of Management) was representing BU students at the first World Leisure Congress on the African continent which was hosted by the Leisure and Recreation Association of South Africa (LARASA) in Durban, from 27 – 30 June 2016. Bournemouth University was also represented by two members of academic staff, Dr. Lenia Marques and Dr. Dorothy Fox.

The aim of the 2016 WLO Congress was to explore “Challenges, Choices and Consequences” by creating a platform for professionals from diverse fields to interact, share and present a context for leisure services and opportunities. Speakers and delegates represented many countries, communities and academic fields. The benefits of leisure has been widely documented and the congress highlighted the importance of an integrated approach using leisure services to improve the human condition, transform spaces and boost the economy (www.larasa.org.za).

Irena presented her MSc research, supervised by Dr. Lorraine Brown, with the topic “Food as a Leisure Social Practice among Polish Immigrants in the UK’, receiving positive feedback. The event also served as a good platform for Irena to increase her network around these topics (in the photo, Irena with Maliga Naidoo – President of Larasa and Chair of 2016 WLO Congress and Prof. Miklos Banhidi, responsible for many youth-related projects worldwide).

Another important part of the experience, was the interaction with the international field school (with students from South Africa, Canada, Brazil and The Netherlands) about the Green Hub Project in Inanda Dam. The project involved a range of cultural tourism and ecotourism products in the area. The field school students, hosted by the Durban Green Corridor (DGC), organization that offers adventure and eco tours along the uMngeni River Valley, presented their recommendation for the Inanda community development at the congress.

Finally, on the 2^nd of July Irena visited Durban July Races, a very colourful and important event in South Africa. This allowed the close involvement to research and data collection of a project lead by Dr Lenia Marques on the social dimensions of the event experience.

Altogether, it was a very challenging and valuable experience which hopefully will add to Irena’s future research work, but also professional and personal skills. This professional journey was only possible with the support of Global Horizons Fund from Bournemouth University.

(text by Irena Paszkiewicz)

14 July 2016

BUDI presents at the iNav international conference in Bad Gastein (Austria)

international, PG research, Public engagement mobrien

Dr Jan Wiener, Dr Ramona Grzeschik and Mary O’Malley represented Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI) at the 1^st Interdisciplinary Navigation Symposium (iNav) in Bad Gastein from 26-30^th June 2016. The iNav is a meeting that aims to bring together a diverse group of scientists from backgrounds such as (cognitive) neuroscience, animal behaviour and ethology, theoretical neurobiology and robotics to shed some light into the neural systems involved in spatial cognition and navigation.

Mary presented a poster showcasing her PhD research with the topic “How do we get there? The effects of cognitive ageing on map reading abilities.” – a study using ‘you-are-here maps’ and a virtual care environment to investigate orientation experiences of older people with memory difficulties.

Ramona presented a poster with preliminary results of her study on “Effects of Aging on Landmark Recognition” that investigates what features of landmarks are helpful for older people to memorize a route. Jan gave a talk about “The effects of typical and atypical ageing on orientation and navigation behaviour” where he presented two studies about the effects of ageing on different route learning strategies.

Jan additionally co-hosted a discussion on how compatible virtual reality navigation is with real-life navigation

14 July 2016

UKRO Conference Report – important EU funding updates

Funding opportunities, Guidance, international Emily Cieciura

The UK Research Office (UKRO) is the European office of the UK Research Councils. It delivers a subscription-based advisory service for research organisations (in the main UK HEIs) and provides National Contact Point services on behalf of the UK Government. UKRO’s mission is to maximise UK engagement in EU-funded research, innovation and higher education activities. One way UKRO supports this mission is through the annual conference.

The slides are publicly available via the UKRO website. To access further subscriber-only information, including events notifications and news, BU staff members can register today!

The 2016 UKRO Annual Conference took place at Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow on Thursday 30th June and Friday 1st July 2016. Please follow the links below to access slides and other information from the event:

Conference Programme

Biographies of Speakers

Presentations:

Thursday 30 June 2016

Opening plenary session

Horizon 2020: Are We On the Path to Success?
Mr Wolfgang Burtscher (DG RTD, Deputy Director General)

European Research Council: An Update and Future Directions
Mr Theodore Papazoglou (ERCEA, Head of Unit, Support to the ERC Scientific Council)

Parallel sessions 1

A) Horizon 2020 Health Challenge: Zika, Ebola & Antimicrobial Resistance
Ms Line Matthiessen (DG RTD, Head of Unit, Fighting Infectious Diseases and Advancing Public Health)

B) Being Ethics Ready and Compliant
Ms Maria Filipa Ferraz De Oliveira (ERCEA, Head of Ethics Sector)

C) Horizon 2020 Funding for Research into Migration and Mobility
Ms Elisabeth Lipiatou (DG RTD, Head of Unit, Open and Inclusive Societies)

Parallel sessions 2

A) Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Reporting: IT’s That Time of the Year Again…
Ms Cathy Souto Enriques (REA, MSCA Project Advisor)

B) Funding Research for a Secure Society
Mr Graham Willmott (DG HOME, Head of Unit, Innovation and Industry Security)

Friday 1 July 2016

Open Innovation: The Future of EU Innovation Funding? Ideas for Creating a European Innovation Council
Ms Sophie Laurie (NERC, Associate Director of Innovation and Translation)
Mr Matthew King (DG RTD, Head of Unit Open Innovation)

Parallel sessions 3

A) Open to the World: Co-Funded Calls and How it Works in Practice
Mr Diego Sammaritano (DG RTD, Policy Officer, R&I Cooperation with China)

B) Open Science: Opening Up Scientific Information in Horizon 2020
Ms Joy Davidson (Collaborative Research & Services Provision Manager, University of Glasgow)

Parallel sessions 4

ELO Profiles for the Future of EU Funding
Ms Angela Noble (University of Edinburgh, Manager – Europe)
Ms Philippa Shelton (University of the West of England, Bristol, Senior Research Business Development Manager)
Ms Kimberly Cornfield (UCL, Head of EU Proposal Management)

Managing Intellectual Property in Horizon 2020
Mr Jakub Ramocki (EU IPR Helpdesk, Intellectual Property Advisor)

If you would like to discuss potential EU funding activity, please contact Emily Cieciura, RKEO’s Research Facilitator: EU & International. To see related articles, just search for ‘UKRO’ on the BU Research blog.

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UKRO Conference Report – important EU funding updates

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Thursday 30 June 2016

Friday 1 July 2016

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