Reflective Practice Assignment

Demonstrates a developing sense of self in relation to research positionality, building on prior experiences to respond to public health research.

Maximum score

15

Develops clear understanding of undertaking Indigenous research by reflecting on class materials and own experiences.

Maximum score

15

PBHL20006 Reflective Practice Assignment Sample

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Sample A. This sample reflects on a personal research experience and analyses how that research may be improved given the knowledge gained from the unit.

Reflective essay

I conducted a research on maternal health of the women in Nepal. The overall goal was to improve the maternal health in Nepal. I think that I was a positivist researcher. I worked on the research by assuming lack of proper health care at local level as the reason behind the public health issue. Firstly, I collected the data of total number of women of age group 15-45 age from the local government, visiting the local health post and find out the number of pregnant women visiting for ante-natal check-ups, collect the record of women suffering from pregnancy related complications from local hospitals, number of deliveries conducted in health facilities by skilled birth attendant and so on. Furthermore, I had selected deductive method and visited some family of the specific area and organize one to one structured interview with the pregnant women. My questionaries for interview would be (a) Are you satisfied with the health care which you get in your area? (b) How many times you are planning to visit health post for ante -natal check-ups? (c) Are you facing any reproductive problem? After the detail information, I made the conclusion that lack of access to health facility is the main reason of poor maternal health of Nepal and report the issue to the local government and with collaboration with the local authority and improve the quality of maternity care in local health posts, increase the number of health facility in local areas and provide free treatment of the pregnancy complications.

But, as a result of my learning in Participatory Health Research unit in my second semester of Master of Public Health, I found my previous research concept as ineffective approach for the main goal of the project to improve the maternal health of women in Nepal by ground root level. Now, I feel that… THE STUDENT GOES ON TO LIST THE LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH APPROACH SUPPORTING THESE LIMITATIONS WITH EVIDENCE TAKEN FROM THE UNIT READINGS.

From the knowledge and practice on the research pursued in the second semester of my Master’s degree, I realized that my research process was not appropriate and choose the participatory health research design to address the issue of poor maternal health in Nepal. In my concept, maternal health is not only affected by availability of health facility in the area but is affected by variety of factors like awareness, education, money, culture, power, empowerment, and status of women. First, I would… THE STUDENT THEN PROPOSES A RESEARCH DESIGN INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE TAKEN FROM THE UNIT AND ADDITIONAL READINGS.

From the learnings, readings, lectures, and practice in Participatory Health research unit, I came to know that same research approach and method are not effective in every community and group of people. So, it is necessary to choose the appropriate research approach, design according to the need of community considering culture, lifestyle, behaviour, history, and nature. In the same way, I would like to conduct research project among the indigenous community by being flexible and adopting the cooperative method which is acceptable by them… LIKE ABOVE, THE STUDENT EXPLAINS THE PROCESSES TAKEN TO CONDUCT RESEARCH WITH AN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY.

Sample B. This sample reflects on concepts learned in the unit and how these concepts may be applicable in the future.

RESEARCH POSITIONALITY PAPER

Researcher positionality is identified as a result of their paradigms. Paradigms include the ontology, epistemology, and axiology of the researcher. What the researcher thinks the nature of the reality, how they position themselves in the research, and what they think inherently valuable in their life comes under their positionality. The positionality of the researcher influences the whole research design, process, and interpretation of the research findings. Therefore, the researcher must be aware of their values, beliefs, and experiences to know the type of research they want to conduct.

Frankly speaking, a paradigm was a new term for me when I started to learn about it during this term. Previously, I haven’t read and thought that the position of the researcher can also determine the whole research process. But if I have to say about my paradigm before commencing this term, I would say I believed in realism and had an etic approach. I was more exposed to the traditional research approach. Therefore, I used to think that the research is conducted only to find the cause-and-effect relationship, what cause the problem and find solutions to those problems existed in society (Baum, 2016)… THE STUDENT THEN GOES TO UNPACK AN EXAMPLE OF AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY, NOTING THE QUALITIES THAT REFLECT A POSITIVIST PARADIGM.

After learning the participatory health research, my positionality as a researcher is changed. I understand that the participation of the people is very important and their voices should be heard in order to make any research meaningful (Heron, 1997). Now, I have a paradigm and  my positionality   is  relativist ontology and an  emic epistemology. THE STUDENT PROPOSES A RESEARCH PARADIGM INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE TAKEN FROM THE UNIT AND ADDITIONAL READINGS

The anti-oppressive approach helped me to understand that the voice of the people needs to be heard to eliminate the hegemony that exists in society. Community members can be empowered to bring any changes, their similarities and the differences of the community experience can be recognized with this approach. We need to develop a culturally safe lens as a researcher to consider the unique needs and strengths of every people in the community. Brooks (2014) mentioned that the cultural safety lens views the individual in their location, related to colonial marginalization, moving beyond cultural sensitivity to an analysis of power imbalance. THE STUDENT EXPLAINS AN APPLICATION OF AN ANTI-OPPRESSIVE APPROACH TO CONDUCT RESEARCH WITH AN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY WITH EVIDENCE TAKEN FROM THE UNIT READINGS.