When I began to ponder a topic to research this year, I knew I’d want to investigate something that had to do with HIV. Last year, I studied HIV in sub-Saharan Africa in my First Year Seminar, and then worked on my professor’s research paper second semester. I was intrigued and fascinated by HIV research. So for Olson’s, I decided to continue with this theme, but in a different way. I wondered if there was a correlation between global-warming-caused natural disasters and increased HIV prevalence rates. I knew that disease lingers in places where there are high rates of poverty. I also knew that natural disasters are followed by severe poverty/destruction. Therefore, I was intrigued by the likelihood of climate change impacting HIV prevalence rates in areas following natural disaster.
Throughout the summer, I searched for articles on this subject matter, but found nothing. Therefore, I decided I needed a different approach. I could investigate geographical locations most impacted by climate change, and look to see if their HIV prevalence rates have increased every 2 years since 2005.
The one puzzle that I’m dealing with right now, is how to collect the data and what type of data should I collect. I think I’m also struggling with which locations would be most impacted by climate change. I believe my meeting with my mentor will help me work through this. I’d like to possibly focus on one or two types of disasters (drought, hurricanes, etc.) and possibly compare them. For example, Should I consider flooding? Should I solely investigate HIV prevalence rates, or should I also consider other infectious diseases like tuberculosis? These are all questions I will be considering in the future.
Hi Lauren, I find the intersection between public health and climate change to be fascinating and a puzzle definitely worth exploring. One problem that you might run into on your journey towards proving any type of causality would be the various confounding variables at play. I think that you will definitely need to be cognizant of that from the beginning and frame your project in such a way that accounts for these lurking variables. You have already mentioned socioeconomic status but there are a few more that I think would be worth investigating, i.e. gender? I found a research article that examines the higher levels of HIV prevalence in females in sub-Saharan Africa [1]. After reading your proposal it looks like your research falls under the Pragmatic explanatory program that Abbot outlined in his chapter. I think that having a goal of possible intervention in the back of your mind would help you keep your project streamlined. Your proposal is truly thought-provoking and I look forward to seeing where you take your project. In regard to the questions you listed at the end of your proposal: I think it would be most prudent to concentrate on one disease throughout your project, and seeing that you have already had research experience with HIV, I would stick with it. Good luck!
[1] Sia, Drissa, Yentéma Onadja, Arijit Nandi, Anne Foro, and Timothy Brewer. “What Lies behind Gender Inequalities in HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan African Countries: Evidence from Kenya, Lesotho and Tanzania.” Health Policy and Planning 29, no. 7 (October 1, 2014): 938-49. Accessed September 3, 2018. doi:10.1093/heapol/czt075.
You are off to a good start here, Lauren, with some good thoughts about the directions that your research could take. As you think about the general topic area, what have you read recently in the topic area? Starting to investigate scholarship on your broad/general topic area is a good next step since identifying the debates among scholars (debates about what we understand / what we don’t understand) is one important part of identifying your own specific research puzzle. As you read, pay attention to and think about the broader phenomenon that you are aiming to explain. What is the trend/outcome/state of affairs that is at the root of your research puzzle? I look forward to seeing how the research develops!
Lauren,
I think this is an incredibly interesting subject to be studying. Personally, I am not at all familiar with anything within this domain, but I still have a few comments that I hope you will find worthy of consideration.
First, I’m going to echo Tina’s warning about causality, as I think that identifying a causal link within your research may be difficult. My intuition is that the fundamental link between disease and environmental catastrophe is nested within the destruction of infrastructure as it disrupts the supply chain and the delivery of important drugs and the arrival of health workers. I think research in the area of medical aid delivery may be useful in developing a hypothetical structure that could explain if this phenomenon of climate catastrophe is related to disease/infectivity.
Second, I am apprehensive that a mere correlation between HIV rates and climate catastrophes would suffice. Although I am not as familiar with the subject as I probably should be, I suspect that relatively poorer countries suffer a disproportionate number of climate catastrophes precisely because they are poor. Poorer countries are less likely to be able to afford infrastructure like levees that may help mitigate environmental disasters. You may find yourself in a sort of tautology as poorer countries are more likely to experience climate disasters and are more likely to have higher levels of HIV. Be cautious of this.
I think the most important part of your research at this stage is developing the link between the natural disasters and increased rates of infectivity. Best of luck to you! This is an incredibly interesting and consequential subject to study and I look forward to seeing what you come up with.