Field studies in developing countries

This chapter presents a teaching approach targeted at both undergraduates and postgraduates in public health-related fields, or clinical epidemiology in which part of their training involves field research. The content ranges from skills to develop research plans, through fieldwork-related activities and data processing, to report writing and dissemination of results to the scientific community, policy makers, and the studied communities. This content also assumes knowledge of other general aspects of epidemiology such as principles and methods, as well as research methodology that may have been covered separately. Knowledge of how to develop a research plan will provide skills on how to negotiate with funding agencies, whether local or external, and how to justify research on the proposed topic. It will also provide skills on how to plan for field activities, how to document research ideas, and how to work systematically following a specified protocol. Undergraduates will develop their research plans and implement studies in groups, while postgraduates will do the same, but will work more independently as a reflection of their expected level of scientific maturity.