- 1). Familiarize yourself with the full ICPD definition of RH, while reviewing literature on other definitions and anything else relevant to your planned research. The ICPD definition encompasses voluntary, socially supported access to education, counseling and services regarding human sexuality, responsible parenthood, family planning, post-abortion complications, prenatal care, safe delivery, postnatal care, breastfeeding, infertility and infectious diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases.
- 2). Decide whose RH you wish to measure, and which aspect(s) of it at which level(s) of social organization. For example, you may want to study individual cases of prenatal care among low-income African Americans on the south side of Chicago, or HIV/AIDS policies and migrants in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Even if you seek to measure overall RH in your study population, you will still need first to break it down into specific elements like this. While selecting the focus of your research, especially consider topics and populations that are deemed high priority and/or remain underrepresented in the literature.
- 3). Determine the particular research methodology and indicators of RH that best fit your chosen focus. Precisely because RH involves "physical, mental and social well-being," often it is best measured through a mixture of biomedical and social science techniques. Because many RH issues are sensitive, controversial, and connected in some people's minds and experiences with power abuses, community-based participatory research can be a powerful way to engage with and enlist the trust of your study population. Interviewing people about their own experiences of RH is increasingly recognized as a valuable measurement tool.
- 4). Anticipate ethical concerns related to your research plan. As you carry it out, promptly address any unexpected issues that may arise. Attention to ethics is imperative for its own sake, because it is legally required, and because it promotes trust in your study population.
- 5). Determine how best to disseminate your findings to your study population, the scientific community, service providers, policy advocates and any other stakeholders. This process can and should include opportunities for discussion and action on the implications of your work.
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