The Health Research and Development Consortium Region IV-A (HRDCR IV-A) conducted a Research Methods Workshop on February 5-8, 2013 at the Retreat and Conference Center De La Salle University-Dasmarinas. Dr. Melchor Victor G. Frias, IV, HRDCR IV-A Convenor, challenged the participants in his welcome address to come up with their respective proposals after the workshop for funding, he also emphasized that the research should be directed to the priorities identified in the National Unified Health Research Agenda (NUHRA). The activity was spearheaded by the consortium’s subcommittee on capacity building headed by Dr. Rommel L. Salazar. Consortium members Cavite State University, Mary Mediatrix Medical Center, Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation, Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, Department of Health-Center for Health and Development Region IV-A, De La Salle Health Sciences Institute, De La Salle Lipa, Daniel O. Mercado Medical Center, Batangas Regional Hospital and De La Salle University-Dasmariñas were all represented.
The workshop introduced participants to basic concepts on conducting health research. Lectures were given on topics such as: selecting research topics, formulating research objectives, designing a research and analyzing and interpreting research results. The seminar was structured in three activities: 1.) lecture-discussion; 2.) workshop and 3.) plenary sessions. The speakers were Dr. Carmen Tolabing and Prof. Kim Cochon of the University of the Philippines, College of Public Health. Dr. Frias also helped facilitate the discussions.
At the end of the workshop, the participants who were grouped according to their institutions were able to come up with draft proposals on disability among school-aged children, threatened abortion, health risk factors among adolescents, leptospira infection and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The groups will work on their proposals and literature review before the second capacity building activity which is a Research Protocol Writeshop. This will guide them in drafting and fine-tuning their final research proposals.*
