Interdisciplinary Approach to the Study of SDHtie.inspvirtual.mx/portales/sdhnet/workshops/Workshop 1... · To learn and apply the principles of interdisciplinary research, ... SDH

20-hour Classroom-Based Workshop: “Interdisciplinary Approach to the Study of SDH” by SDH-Net is licensed under

a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.sdh-net.eu/

This workshop is supported by the European Commission – 7th Framework Programme, “Building sustainable capacity for research

for health and its social determinants in low and middle income countries” (SDH-Net), contract no. 282534.

Interdisciplinary Approach to the Study of SDH

(20-hour Classroom-Based Workshop)

WP4 - Research Capacity Building: Research Methodology and SDH

July, 2014

National Institute of Public Health – Mexico (INSP)

Ietza Bojórquez Chapela Nelly Salgado de Snyder Germán Guerra y Guerra

http://tie.inspvirtual.mx/portales/sdhnet/index.php

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

http://www.sdh-net.eu/

INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF SDH

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1. Introduction

The 2012 Social Determinants of Health Network’s (SDH-Net) document, “Strategic Framework and

Concepts for Capacity Building” mapped the capacity building needs for the study of SDH in low and middle

income countries (LMIC) in the Latin America and Africa regions. Among those capacities was the ability to

create “collaborative networks and their linkage with other disciplines, society, other sectors, peers and

students” and to work with multidisciplinary teams.

This course is aimed at strengthening those abilities. It is for active researchers with an interest in the SDH,

and introduces the theoretical aspects related to multi and interdisciplinary research, as well as practical issues

on how to choose and work with an interdisciplinary research team. The bibliography to be discussed includes

both theoretical reflections and real-life examples from the public health field, emphasizing research that is

participative and considers the SDH.

2. Objective

General Objective:

To learn and apply the principles of interdisciplinary research, and understand how to build and work with

interdisciplinary teams for the study of SDH.

Overall Competency:

After this workshop, the participant will know the concepts of multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary research,

and will be able to apply them when designing and conducting research projects, as well as to the reporting

and dissemination of research findings, within the framework of the SDH.

3. Content

I. THE THEORY OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

1. What is a “discipline”?

2. Definitions of multi-, inter- and transdisciplinarity

3. The relevance of interdisciplinary research

4. Epistemological aspects of interdisciplinary research

5. The related field of multimethod and mixed-methods research

6. Collaborative research as interdisciplinarity

7. Interdisciplinarity in public health research on the SDH

II. CONDUCTING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROJECT

1. Defining the research problem

2. Developing a common research question


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3. Developing a common research plan

4. Which disciplines should be involved?

5. What should be the characteristics of the research team members?

6. Building trust and cohesiveness in the research team

7. Writing research reports

4. Methodology

For each session, participants will read and discuss the suggested literature, guided by the course instructor(s).

The course also includes activities which allow participants to reflect upon the main aspects of

interdisciplinary research.

5. Target Audience

The workshop is intended for researchers with the following characteristics:

Active junior level researcher in the field of SDH.

Those having basic knowledge of the SDH framework: conceptual bases, most well-known

conceptual models, knowledge about scientific production related to SDH.

6. Course Evaluation

80% Participation in workshop sessions and activities

20% Writing of an essay on one of the subjects reviewed in the course.


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Course Outline

SESSION TOPICS READING MATERIAL

1

(4 hrs.)

2

(4 hrs.)

3

(4 hrs.)

4

(4 hrs.)

What is a “discipline”?

Definitions of multi-, inter- and

transdisciplinarity

The relevance of interdisciplinary

research

Epistemological aspects of interdisciplinary research The related field of multimethod and

mixed-methods research

Collaborative research as

interdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinarity in public health research on the SDH Defining the research problem

Developing a common research

question

Developing a common research plan

Which disciplines should be

involved?

What should be the characteristics

of the research team members?

Building trust and cohesiveness in

the research team

Writing research reports

Weingart, Peter, 2010, “A Short History of

Knowledge Formations”, in Frodeman, Robert, Julie

Thompson Klein and Carl Mitcham, The Oxford

Handbook of Interdisciplinarity, Oxford University

Press, chap. 1, pp. 3-15.

Wallerstein, Immanuel et al. (1996). Open the Social

Sciences: Report of the Gulbenkian Commission on

the Restructuring of the Social Sciences. Stanford:

Stanford Univ. Press.

Huutoniemi, Katri, Julie Thompson Klein, Henrik

Bruun and Janne Hukkinen, 2010, “Analyzing

Interdisciplinarity: Typology and Indicators”,

Research Policy, no. 39, pp.79–88

Creswell JW (2014). Research Design: Qualitative,

Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Los

Angeles: Sage. Chap. 10

Gray, J.S. & Carter, P. M. (2012). Growing our

Own: Building a Native Research Team. J

Psychoactive Drugs, 44(2):160-5

Almeida-Filho, N. (2006). Complexity and Trans-

disciplinarity in the Collective Health Field: Concepts' Evaluation and Applications. Salud Colectiva, 2(2):123-146 (Text in Spanish)

Oliver, A. & Cookson, R. (2000).Towards

Multidisciplinary Research into Health Inequalities.

Health Econ, 9(7):565-6.

Repko, A. F. (2008), “Beginning the Research

Process”. In: A. F. Repko, Interdisciplinary

Research. Los Angeles: Sage. pp. 137-159

Repko, A. F. (2008), “Identifying Conflicts in

Insights”. In: A. F. Repko, Interdisciplinary Research. Los Angeles: Sage. pp. 247-270

Repko, A. F. (2008), “Creating Common Ground”.

In: A. F. Repko Interdisciplinary Research. Los

Angeles: Sage. pp. 271-294

Repko, A. F. (2008), “Identifying Relevant

Disciplines”. In: A. F. Repko Interdisciplinary

Research. Los Angeles: Sage. pp. 160-188

Lakhani, J., et al. (2012). Attributes of

Interdisciplinary Research Teams: A

Comprehensive Review of the Literature. Clin

Invest Med, 2012; 35 (5): E260-E265

Urquhart, R., et al. (2011). Reflections on

Knowledge Brokering within a Multidisciplinary

Research Team. J Contin Educ Health Prof,

31(4):283-90

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Cookson%20R%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=23799318


5

SESSION 1: THE THEORY OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH (PART I) OBJECTIVE

The participants will learn and discuss about the basic concepts of interdisciplinary research.

COMPETENCY

The participant discusses the basic concepts of interdisciplinary research.

SESSION DEVELOPMENT

Activity: Introductions and integration of participants (30 mins).

The objective of this activity is that the participants and teacher to get to know each other, focusing on the

experience that each one has in interdisciplinary research and SDH. It also intends to generate an atmosphere

of trust and open-mindedness.

The teacher introduces himself/herself

The teacher asks the students to introduce themselves, saying their name, occupation, experience in

SDH research, experience with multidisciplinary research, and their expectations for the workshop.

The teacher introduces the students to the workshop’s approach, general organization and logistics.

Teacher’s presentation and group discussion (1h 30 mins)

Presentation Themes:

What is a “discipline”?

Definitions of multi-, inter- and transdisciplinarity

The relevance of interdisciplinary research

The presentation is based on the following readings:

Weingart, Peter, 2010, “A Short History of Knowledge Formations”, in: Frodeman,

Robert, Julie Thompson Klein and Carl Mitcham, The Oxford Handbook of

Interdisciplinarity, Oxford University Press, chap. 1, pp. 3-15.

Wallerstein, Immanuel et al. (1996). Open the Social Sciences: Report of the Gulbenkian

Commission on the Restructuring of the Social Sciences. Stanford: Stanford Univ. Press.

Abbott, Andrew “The Chaos of Disciplines”, in: “The Chaos of Disciplines”, chap. 1, pp.

3-34.

Wickson, F, A.L Carewc, A.W. Russell (2006), “Transdisciplinary Research:

Characteristics, Quandaries and Quality”, Futures 38, 1046–1059.

Huutoniemi, Katri, Julie Thompson Klein, Henrik Bruunand, Janne Hukkinen, 2010,

“Analyzing Interdisciplinarity: Typology and Indicators”. Research Policy, no. 39, pp.79–

88.


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Activity: Discipline affiliation (30 mins)

The objective of this activity is that the participants to reflect upon their affiliation to their disciplines, and the

implications that these affiliations have for research.

Participants are requested to respond in writing and individually to the following questions:

o What discipline are you affiliated to?

o What are the main objects of study of your discipline?

o What are the most frequently used methods in your discipline?

o The teacher randomly chooses five students to share their answers in a plenary session.


Presentation Themes:

Epistemological aspects of interdisciplinary research


Wallerstein, Immanuel et al. (1996). Open the Social Sciences: Report of the Gulbenkian

Commission on the Restructuring of the Social Sciences. Stanford: Stanford Univ. Press.

Abbott, Andrew “The chaos of disciplines”, in: “The Chaos of Disciplines”, chap. 1, pp.

3-34.

Wickson, F, A.L Carewc, A.W. Russell (2006), “Transdisciplinary Research:

Characteristics, Quandaries and Quality”. Futures 38, 1046–1059

SESSION 2: THE THEORY OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH (PART II) OBJECTIVE

The participants will learn about the relation between interdisciplinary research, mixed methods research and

collaborative research, as well as the applications of interdisciplinary research in the study of SDH.

COMPETENCY

The participant recognizes different types of investigation which incorporate diverse disciplines, methods and

approaches.

The participant discusses the importance of interdisciplinary research in the stu dy of SDH.

SESSION DEVELOPMENT

Activity: An interdisciplinary research example (1h)

The objective of this activity is that the participants discuss the reach and characteristics of a specific

interdisciplinary research project.


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Teams of 4-5 people are formed using a count method (each participant chooses a number in

sequence from 1 to 4 or 5, then all participants who chose “1” become a team, all “2’s” become

another team, and so on)

The teams read an example of interdisciplinary research. The suggested readings are: Kessel, A., et al.

(2009), “Multidisciplinary Research in Public Health: A Case Study of Research on Access to Green

Space.” Public Health,123(1):32-8, but another example closer to the participants’ experience could

also be used.

Using the reading and based on the Huutoniemi et al. typology (reading from the previous day) the

teams answer the following questions:

o Was the scope of interdisciplinarity narrow or broad?

o Was the interaction multi- or interdisciplinary?

o Was it encyclopedic, contextualizing or composite?

o Was the interdisciplinarity methodological or theoretical?

o Was the goal of interdisciplinarity epistemologically or instrumentally oriented?

Participants comment about the results in a plenary session.

Teacher’s presentation and group discussion (2 h 30 mins)

Presentation discussion topics:

The related field of multimethod and mixed-methods research

Collaborative research as interdisciplinarity

Interdisciplinarity in public health research on the SDH


Creswell JW (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches.

Los Angeles: Sage. Chap. 10

Gray, J.S. & Carter, P. M. (2012). Growing our Own: Building a Native Research Team. J

Psychoactive Drugs, 44(2):160-5

Almeida-Filho, N. (2006). Complexity and Trans-disciplinarity in the Collective Health Field:

Concepts' Evaluation and Applications. Salud Colectiva, 2(2):123-146 (Text in Spanish)

Oliver, A. & Cookson, R. (2000).Towards Multidisciplinary Research into Health Inequalities.

Health Econ, 9(7):565-6.

Terpstra JL, et al. (2010). “Health sciences and health services”. In: Frodeman, Robert, Julie

Thompson Klein and Carl Mitcham, The Oxford Handbook of Interdisciplinarity, Oxford University

Press.

Activity: Forming teams for the exercises of the following days (30 mins).

The objective of this activity is for participants to have the experience of forming multidisciplinary teams,

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Cookson%20R%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=23799318


8

and reflect upon the different ways of acting as a team.

Participants will be grouped in teams of 4-5 members, through one of the following two options:

If the group is formed by participants from different disciplines:

o The teacher explains that they will be required to form teams consisting of 4-5 team members

having as much as possible variability of disciplines.

o The participants are asked to form teams in a manner that the required characteristics are

met. They can carry out this task in any way they choose.

o There is a round for discussion, asking the participants to speak about the elements which

made it easier or harder for them to form teams; how did they feel during the exercise and

what did they observe about their behavior and that of the other participants.

If the group is formed by participants with similar backgrounds and disciplines:

o The teacher will say: We are in the ocean, and if we don’t want to drown we need to get in a

boat. But the boats have a limited and exact capacity and if this is not met, the boat will sink.

o The participants walk around the classroom (if possible with their eyes closed). When the

teacher gives the signal, they must group in boats of 8 people. The exercise is repeated with

boats of 3 people, 7 people, 4 people, 5 people (this last group will be the final team).

o A round of discussion takes place where the participants comment on their feelings during the

team-making exercise, what did they observe about their behavior and that of the other

participants, and other observations.

SESSION 3: CONDUCTING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROJECT (PART I) OBJECTIVE

The participants will learn about the peculiarities of the definition of an interdisciplinary research problem,

and will apply this knowledge through a practical exercise designing a research project on SDH.

COMPETENCY

The participant applies the concepts of interdisciplinary research in a specific SDH research problem.

SESSION DEVELOPMENT

Activity: Designing an interdisciplinary project (1h)

The objective of this activity is that the participants experience the development of an interdisciplinary

project to address a SDH problem.

As a team, participants read the case study: “The process of priority setting in health research with


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emphasis on SDH in LMIC”. Afterwards, the participants are introduced to the following scenario

and tasks:

The Ministry in charge of the National School Health Policy wishes to design a program to

prevent girls from dropping out of school during the drought season. To do this, the Ministry

gathers an interdisciplinary research team and requests the team to perform a description of the

economic, social and cultural factors which influence these absences, and to design a specific

proposal to solve this problem.

The tasks are:

o To find one or several research questions which will guide the description.

o To develop a preliminary proposal of the methods to answer the defined research

question(s) in the previous step.

o To define, following Huutoniemi et al.’s typology, which kind of interdisciplinary

research will take place, and explain why this was the chosen approach.

The results of the activity are presented in a plenary session.


Presentation discussion topics:

Defining the research problem

Developing a common research question

Developing a common research plan


Repko, A. F. (2008), “Beginning the Research Process”. In: A. F. Repko Interdisciplinary Research.

Los Angeles: Sage. Pp. 137-159

Repko, A. F. (2008), “Identifying Conflicts in Insights”. In: A. F. Repko Interdisciplinary Research.


Repko, A. F. (2008), “Creating Common Ground”. In: A. F. Repko Interdisciplinary Research. Los

Angeles: Sage. Pp. 271-294

Activity: Forming sets (30 mins)

The objective of this activity is that the participants to reflect on how the object of research can be built in

different ways.

1. Participants are asked to sit down in teams.

2. 30 cards with labels representing possible objects of knowledge in SDH research are given to

each team.

3. Teams are asked to classify the cards in three “sets”, in the way they consider most adequate,

and to name the resulting sets of cards.


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4. Two teams are randomly chosen to present the resulting card sets in a plenary session. The

differences and similarities between the sets are discussed.

The labels on cards describe elements that could be part of a research object: blood pressure, mortality,

prevalence, hyperglycemia, fracture, sadness, depression, pain, discomfort, fear, genetics, personality,

lifestyle, smoking, exercising, upbringing, life cycle, religion, years of schooling, income, health services,

democracy, economic system, governance, migration, well-being, autonomy, physical abilities, access to

services, participation.

Activity: Quality criteria for interdisciplinary research (1hr)

The objective of this activity is for participants to identify and discuss the criteria for an interdisciplinary

research evaluation.

1. Working in teams, participants search the web for evaluation guidelines for interdisciplinary research.

2. A team is randomly chosen to present, in a plenary session, the common elements of the guidelines

they reviewed, and the rest of the teams will comment based on their own search.

SESSION 4: CONDUCTING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROJECT (PART II) OBJECTIVES

The participants will learn and discuss about the experiences integrating interdisciplinary teams, which could

be applied to their SDH research work.

The participants will describe the characteristics of interdisciplinary research reports.

COMPETENCIES

The participant knows the elements to be taken into account when forming interdisciplinary teams.

The participant knows the elements to be taken into account when writing interdisciplinary research reports

SESSION DEVELOPMENT

Teacher’s presentation and group discussion (1hr)

Presentation topiccs:

What disciplines should be involved?

What should be the characteristics of the research team members?

Building trust and cohesiveness in the research team


Repko, A. F. (2008), “Identifying Relevant Disciplines”. In: A. F. Repko Interdisciplinary Research.


11


Lakhani, J., et al. (2012). Attributes of Interdisciplinary Research Teams: A Comprehensive Review

of the Literature. Clin Invest Med, 2012; 35 (5): E260-E265

Urquhart, R., et al. (2011). Reflections on Knowledge Brokering within a Multidisciplinary Research

Team. J Contin Educ Health Prof, 31(4):283-90

Talk with a researcher who has experience in interdisciplinary research. (1 h)

The objective of this activity is that participants know the details of work organization and development of

interdisciplinary teams.

A researcher with experience in mixed-methods investigation is invited. Prior to the session,

participants are sent a research report (article, report, etc.) written by the researcher, which will be

discussed during the session.

The researcher gives a 15 minute presentation about the research project, emphasizing the

difficulties that he/she encountered when integrating the different disciplines, and how these were

solved.

Participants are invited to ask questions to the researcher.

Activity: Reading and analyzing interdisciplinary research reports (1hr 30 min)

The objective of this activity is that participants identify the elements of an interdisciplinary research report.

In teams, participants search the web for examples of interdisciplinary research.

Then, they answer the following questions:

Which are the sections of the article?

Which topics are addressed in each section?

What is the proportional length of each section?

Are the results obtained by each discipline presented jointly or separately?

Does the article report results from a complete project or only part (component) of it?

What kind of mixed methods design does the project use?

Which sections does the article have? What do the authors do in each one of them?

The results are discussed in a plenary session.

Course Closure (30 min)

As a closure, the teacher presents the group with the following questions:

- What did I learn in the course?

- How will this knowledge be useful to me?

- My suggestions for course improvement.


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The teacher asks the group who wishes to share his/her answers to these questions.

Appendix. Suggested Internet Resources

Association for Integrative Studies: http://www.units.muohio.edu/aisorg/

Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Bielefeld University http://www.uni-

bielefeld.de/(en)/ZIF

National Institutes of Health/ Office of Strategic Coordination: Interdisciplinary Research.

https://commonfund.nih.gov/interdisciplinary/overview.asp

http://www.units.muohio.edu/aisorg/

http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/(en)/ZIF



Interdisciplinary Approach to the Study of SDHtie.inspvirtual.mx/portales/sdhnet/workshops/Workshop 1... · To learn and apply the principles of interdisciplinary research, ... SDH

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