This week, an intensive training programme was carried out in Somkhele, north of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, for a team of 6 Clinical Research Assistants (CRAs), who will be conducting fieldwork for the WEMA project. In attendance were two mental health experts, one data manager, a study coordinator and a research associate.
The training equips them with the skills to ethically and effectively administer a suite of questionnaires, including standardised mental health tools using the RedCap electronic data capture system. The data collectors are being prepared to work within vulnerable communities in the AHRI Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems (HDSS) and among displaced persons shelters in the eThekwini municipality (Durban), an area significantly affected by recent extreme weather events.
The prevalence survey they are being trained for is the cornerstone of the WEMA project, aiming to quantify the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst populations who have experienced weather-related disasters, such as the flooding of their homes. By comparing these groups to unexposed populations, the study will generate vital evidence to demonstrate the direct mental health impacts of extreme weather, a critically under-researched area in sub-Saharan Africa.
The most exciting part of the training has been the dynamic and participatory approach, including extensive role-playing exercises where interviewers practice navigating complex and sensitive conversations. This hands-on method, coupled with learning to use the digital RedCap system, ensures the team is well prepared to collect high quality, crucial data that will inform future mental health interventions and policy recommendations.
Written by Sammy Khagayi, PhD
AHRI Research Associate/Data Scientist
