Mar 06, 2025
The study "International Labor Migration, Armed Conflict, and Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementia Risk in Nepal" featured a comprehensive training program designed to enhance enumerators’ knowledge and skills in research processes and high-quality data collection. Conducted by the Institute for Social and Environmental Research Nepal (ISER-N) in partnership with Survey Research Operations at the University of Michigan (SRO-UM), the primary objectives were to improve interviewers' skills, uphold ethical standards in fieldwork, and effectively use digital tools for data collection.
The program took place from January 22 to February 19, 2025, at ISER-N in Fulbari and featured a robust curriculum. It covered survey administration using SurveyTrak and Blaise software, ethical data management practices, and informed consent procedures. The first part of the training - General Interviewing Techniques (GIT), emphasized skills such as effective probing, active listening, and managing sensitive topics ethically. It aimed to enhance interviewer efficiency by combining theoretical insights with hands-on practice, focusing on confidentiality, accurate data recording, and minimizing interviewer bias.
The second part of the training, focused on the Nepali Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (N-HCAP), aimed to develop enumerators’ skills in conducting cognitive assessments. These assessments evaluate various cognitive domains, including memory, attention, language, executive function, visuospatial skills, and processing speed, and are used to identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses, diagnose impairments, and monitor changes over time.
Participants engaged in interactive demonstrations, certification exercises, and practical field scenarios, with a strong focus on real-world application. Advanced sessions covered interview techniques, fieldwork challenges, and administering the N-HCAP specifically.
The training was facilitated by a diverse team of experienced professionals, including Prof. Dr. Dirgha Jibi Ghimire, Principal Investigator, and Ms. Indra Chaudhary, Project Coordinator. Project Managers Mr. Prem Pandit and Mr. Hardik Sapkota, along with Data Manager Ms. Adina Gurung, Research Officers Mr. Krishna Shrestha and Mr. Rajendra Ghimire, and Assistant Research Officers Ms. Mamata Thapa, Mr. Bibek Sapkota, Ms. Nira Gurung, Ms. Sita Chaudhary, Mr. Dil Bahadur C.K., and Mr. Gobhinda Lamichhane, all from ISER-N, played key roles. Ms. Maureen O’Brien, Senior Survey Specialist, and Ms. Jennie Williams, Senior Data Manager from SRO-UM, brought expertise in administration of NHCAP, data collection, data management and research methodologies.
Participants included a diverse group of individuals, with 83% being female and 17% male. The study sample also reflected a varied ethnic and caste distribution, with 60% identifying as Brahmin or Chettri, 20% as Gurung, Magar, or Tamang, 6% as Dalit, and 14% as Tharu, Darai, or Kumal. In terms of education, 57% of the participants held a bachelor's degree or higher, 31% had completed intermediate-level education, and 11% had passed the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) level. This demographic composition highlights the diversity within the study sample.
