Evidence for employing post-secondary educated youth as research assistants in global health disability research

Abstract

This paper presents a participatory qualitative case review of the employment of postsecondary educated assistants in a global health research program. The research program was initiated by a visiting Canadian researcher who was a supervised principal investigator exploring disability in Western Zambia. This research was supported by eight paid Zambian research assistants (RAs), three of whom participated in the case review. The case review was informed by a dialogue in which participants identified and shared their perspectives regarding the effects of the employment of RAs in the program. The perspectives of the RAs about the effects of their employment were identified as two themes: professional skill acquisition and increased quality of life. The perspectives of the visiting researcher regarding the effects of the RA employment were identified as four themes: increased productivity, access to skills, increased integration in the community, and continuity. From the collective perspective of all co-authors, the employment of RAs made this research program more productive, rigorous, and equitable while also creating opportunities for Zambian youth. The co-authors recommend that global health researchers consider employing post-secondary educated RAs and engage in a wider dialogue about expanding and improving this arrangement. These perspectives and recommendations have been generated according to a radical, participatory action, research tradition that should be taken into account as other members of the global health community assess this evidence to inform their own activities.