Written by Rhys Coleman; BS candidate, Howard University; and participant in the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program
I am so blessed to be able to spend my summer at Washington University in St. Louis with the Institute for Public Health Summer Research Program, specifically as a trainee in the Summer Research Diversity Program in Cardiovascular Disease & Hematology (RADIANCE) track.
This summer, I am working with Allison King, MD, PH, PhD, on a research project titled “Understanding the Experiences of Caregivers for Children Five Years and Above Living with Sickle Cell Diseases in Kaduna, Nigeria”. So far during my experience at WashU, I have read and coded numerous interviews from caregivers in Nigeria. Caring for a sick child comes with emotional, financial, and social challenges that many caregivers commonly face.
Through my research thus far, I have recognized patterns of parental struggles, as well as a lack of quality health care. The next steps in this research include coding 10 more interviews, and assisting in publishing a manuscript on this project, which will be utilized to assist caregivers in Nigeria.
Learning about the impact that Sickle Cell Disease has on parents, specifically on mothers, has further opened my eyes to the importance of global health. I have learned the significance of qualitative research, as well as using the software, NVivo Qualitative Analysis, to code the interviews. Along with the exposure I’ve received while assisting on this research project, I was fortunate enough to learn more about the various aspects of global health here at WashU.
Although I am only half-way through this wonderful program, I have learned so much that I will be able to utilize in my future in medicine. As a sports medicine major and chemistry minor student, I was lacking exposure to public health. Although I grasped the overall concept of equity within the healthcare field worldwide, I did not understand how important global health research is in improving the lives of millions of people across the globe, specifically in third-world countries. Every day, I learned more about medicine on a global scale.
On top of the wonderful research and exposure I have received thus far, I have also enjoyed exploring St. Louis. I attended my first Cardinals game yesterday, and I have also visited the famous St. Louis Art Museum, as well as the St. Louis Zoo! I can’t wait to expand my knowledge of global health, research, and St. Louis while at Washington University in St. Louis for the remainder of the summer!