Qualitative Methods in Global Infectious Diseases Research | May 26-30, 2025

“I liked that the course started from covering the basic stuff about qualitative research, rather than skipping directly to the more advanced topics. I don't have any background in qualitative research, so that was very helpful.”

“The Qualitative Methods for Global Infectious Disease Research course was unique and rich in the way that it combined both theories, practical breakout sessions, and sharing of individual experiences both from the field and academia to make learning easy and interesting.”

“Content and delivery was top notch”

-Qualitative Methods course participants

COURSE FORMAT

Online only. Course content will be streamed live approximately 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM (Montreal time) each day May 26–30, 2025 (exact times each day to be announced). Live content will be recorded and accessible to participants until July 1, 2025, except for interactive exercises which will not be recorded.

DESCRIPTION

A course focused on the principles and rigorous application of qualitative methods in formative, operational, evaluation and policy research in infectious disease in diverse global settings. Teaching includes didactical lectures, dedicated periods for interactive exercises and short topical presentations and/or panel discussions. There will be opportunities to work in small groups and develop and present draft research protocols and related outputs under the mentorship of course faculty.

COURSE DIRECTORS

Amrita Daftary, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, School of Global Health, York University
Research Associate, CAPRISA, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Nora Engel, PhD
Associate Professor, Transdisciplinary Global Health,
Athena Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 

COURSE FACULTY 

Jennifer Furin, Harvard University

Joanne Mantell, Columbia University

Tsitsi Masvawure, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Andrew McDowell, Tulane University

Charity Oga-Omenka, University of Waterloo

CONTENT

Qualitative methods can assess the social and behavioural contexts, and the complex determinants, impacts and outcomes of illness and disease control efforts, including public health programs, policies, and technologies. There is growing interest to integrate qualitative methods into traditional operational and biomedical research to understand challenges to healthcare seeking behaviour and healthcare service delivery, and to better understand how and why some interventions and technologies are successfully (or less successfully) implemented and utilized.

This course will build participants’ research literacy to use qualitative methods to inform, innovate, contextualize, evaluate, and strengthen the delivery and utilization of healthcare services and technologies for infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, HIV, COVID-19) in lower-and middle-income settings.

The course uses case studies and practical exercises to engage learners in the following qualitative research topics :

• Study designs and methodologies
• Theoretical frameworks
• Focus groups, observation and interviews: designs, skills and implementation
• Approaches and methods for analysis
• Multiple methods: integrating and sequencing qualitative and quantitative methods
• Sampling and participant recruitment
• Data management and storage
• Ethics and evaluation criteria
• Dissemination

OBJECTIVE

To be introduced to the principles and methods of qualitative research in the context of global infectious diseases.

TARGET AUDIENCE

• Persons with a strong interest in qualitative and mixed methods, and little/no prior experience
• Persons involved in infectious disease control programs, including program managers, innovators, and monitoring and evaluation officers
• Junior faculty, doctoral and postdoctoral fellows engaged in global health research
• Clinical researchers and residents working internationally
• Research staff, including study coordinators, with an interest in international work
• Representatives of funding and/or advocacy bodies, grant reviewers.

ENROLMENT

Limited to 125 online participants.