RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Remote Interviewer Training for COVID-19 Data Collection: Challenges and Lessons Learned From 3 Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
JF Global Health: Science and Practice
JO GLOB HEALTH SCI PRACT
FD Johns Hopkins University- Global Health. Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communication Programs
SP 177
OP 186
DO 10.9745/GHSP-D-20-00468
VO 9
IS 1
A1 Shani Turke
A1 Sarah Nehrling
A1 Samuel Olanipekun Adebayo
A1 Pierre Akilimali
A1 Ivan Idiodi
A1 Anthony Mwangi
A1 Elizabeth Larson
A1 Caroline Moreau
A1 Philip Anglewicz
YR 2021
UL http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/9/1/177.abstract
AB Key FindingsRemote interviewer training for large-scale surveys can be an effective replacement to in-person learning in low-resource contexts when data are urgently needed and in-person learning is impossible.An intermittent Internet connection, distribution of physical materials to interviewers, and interviewer experience and social cohesion are critical to the success of remote training.Key ImplicationsTraining designers need to balance streamlining design choices for efficiency and the importance of contextual adaptation to improve training quality.In-person learning still conveys significant advantages over remote learning. Training designers should evaluate local context and a project's unique circumstances before proceeding with remote training.There is an urgent need for data to inform coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic response efforts. At the same time, the pandemic has created challenges for data collection, one of which is interviewer training in the context of social distancing. In sub-Saharan Africa, in-person interviewer training and face-to-face data collection remain the norm, requiring researchers to think creatively about transitioning to remote settings to allow for safer data collection that respects government guidelines. Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA, formerly PMA2020) has collected both cross-sectional and longitudinal data on key reproductive health measures in Africa and Asia since 2013. Relying on partnerships with in-country research institutes and cadres of female interviewers recruited from sampled communities, the project was well-positioned to transition to collecting data on COVID-19 from the onset of the pandemic. This article presents PMA's development of a remote training system for COVID-19 surveys in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Nigeria, including challenges faced and lessons learned. We demonstrate that remote interviewer training can be a viable approach when data are critically needed and in-person learning is not possible. We also argue against systematic replacement of in-person trainings with remote learning, instead recommending consideration of local context and a project's individual circumstances when contemplating a transition to remote interviewer training.