The Public Health Abroad in Ghana program brings Master of Public Health (MPH) students to Ghana for three weeks to explore quantitative and qualitative research methods for assessing community health. MPH student Andrew Davis writes about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and reflects on traveling abroad for the first time, collaborating with community members, and gaining real-life public health experiences.
Making Long-Lasting Memories in Ghana
I was instantly drawn to the Public Health in Ghana program because I had never traveled abroad before, so this opportunity to travel the world and experience a new culture while also strengthening my public health skills and progressing through the program was a perfect combination of personal and educational benefits. My inspiration to participate in the experience was driven by the program’s unique opportunity to fulfill a program requirement while also providing a chance to travel abroad and practice public health in the field.
Our faculty advisors, Dr. Connie Currier and Dr. Darline El Reda, did a fantastic job preparing us for our trip. They provided us with orientation materials which included important information about the culture, history, languages, health care system, political structure, and other important aspects of life in Ghana.
The first day was a significant change from home that took time to adjust to. I won’t forget leaving the airport and experiencing Ghana for the first time. People immediately came up to our group and asked to carry our bags upon arrival at the airport, locals walked up and introduced themselves knowing we were visitors. I remember seeing the densely populated roadside vendors and sellers of goods ranging from food or drink to clothing, feeling the intense heat, and riding the local public transportation.
After a few short days and with great guidance from our program leaders, I think we were all able to adjust and fully embrace everything Ghana had to offer us. This included touring the capital city of Accra and a visit to Cape Coast, Dr. Currier explaining a lot of what we would see from her vast experiences in the county, and meaningful conversations with locals that helped us feel welcomed and accustomed to the community.
Menstural Health in Hohoe
The research we participated in during our time in Ghana was in collaboration with the University of Health and Allied Science’s School of Public Health and focused on menstrual health in school-aged girls. The project was primarily qualitative and focused on learning more about the current practices and views of girls, parents, and community members related to menstrual health and introducing 100 menstrual cups to the community of Hohoe to evaluate if they would be an effective alternative to the current practices of the girls. The project included a survey, focus groups, in-depth interviews with teachers, students, and parents, educational sessions with these groups, and the commissioning of a borehole to increase access to water at the school.
Our group got to observe some of the focus groups with the students, go over survey data with the research team, lead in-depth interviews with the teachers, analyze our data, and present findings to community and faculty members. We also were able to see the importance of community engagement in research, as we witnessed all the different stakeholders (students, parents, researchers, religious groups, government, etc.) that were involved in the project and how crucial each stakeholder was to its success.
The results of these interviews, along with the results of the other portions of the project, will drive the future direction of the intervention in Hohoe and possibly beyond.
Creating Meaningful Connections
I could create a long list of highlights from this experience, but the ones that stick out the most since I have been back have been about the people and culture we experienced in Ghana. The University of Health and Allied Sciences students were a fantastic group and our time working with them allowed us to create real connections with students in our field who have a different background and perspective than our own. It also was amazing to get the opportunity to work with our own MSU students and professors in person.
With the MPH program being online, it was very refreshing to get to know the other members of the program and it made the trip even more enjoyable because we had such an amazing group.
Another highlight from our trip was my time working an extra week volunteering with the Adanu group, specifically working at the school with the students and teachers. We had the opportunity to work with teachers to create a classroom lesson for the students, learn some of the games they play during their free time, play volleyball, and learn about what the daily life of a student or teacher is like in their community. We also experienced the local culture by participating in a welcoming ceremony, visiting a local shrine, and meeting the town’s Queen Mother. We felt so unbelievably welcomed in this community, as we did the entire time we were in Ghana.
This experience was the most rewarding and unique thing I have completed in my education. It was such an amazing combination of life and educational experience, and I learned so much about the impact of culture, community, and research on health. I recommend any student who can participate in this program to go, as it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain so much from just a month.
I feel like I walked away with a different perspective and knowledge on public health and life, long-lasting connections with students and community members both within our program and abroad, and a desire to further travel the world and experience new and unique cultures.
When preparing for the trip, Dr. Currier mentioned how past students had described the experience such that, “Ghana gave more to us than we could ever give back,” and after experiencing it for myself, I confirm with full confidence that this is the case.
July 31, 2024
