Summary of the Project: Understanding Misinformation and Disinformation and Their Impact on Health Services in Vietnam
Dr. Stephen Roberts, a qualitative research methods technical lead, and his colleagues from The University of London (UCL-GBSH) and the Health Strategy and Policy Institute (HSPI) in Vietnam have launched a groundbreaking collaborative project. Funded by the UKRI Research England’s International Science Partnership Fund, the project is titled ‘Understanding Misinformation and Disinformation and Their Impacts on Non-Communicable Disease Health Services in Vietnam.’ This initiative aims to address the growing issue of health misinformation (misinformation or disinformation) and its profound effects on non-communicable disease (NCD) health services in Vietnam. Together with the Institute for Global Health, this research seeks to bridge the gap between healthcare professionals, policymakers, and communities, with the goal of fostering understanding and reducing the burden of misinformation on health service delivery. The collaboration represents a stepping stone in a larger international research effort, catalyzed by the UKRI grant.
The project began with Dr. Roberts’ time at the Health Strategy and Policy Institute (HSPI) in Vietnam, where he acted as a qualitative research methods technical lead. Over two weeks, he led on the methodological and methods design campaign, introducing the concept of the World Café as a participatory method for engaging health systems research in Vietnam. This innovative approach allowed for direct, face-to-face interaction with stakeholders, which was pivotal in deepening understanding of health misinformation within Vietnam’s healthcare systems. During these workshops, Dr. Roberts penetrovia 31 policymakers, physicians, healthcare workers, and entitled toervers from Vietnam’s National Assembly, as well as 19 non-communicable disease patients. The sessions were dynamic and engaging, fostering a collaborative environment where participants explored the offline experiences and understandings of health misinformation.
Dr. Roberts also designed and delivered three contextatively tailored health research methods and methodology training sessions for all HSPI staff in Hanoi. These sessions included participatory research methods for global health in practice, managing multi-site qualitative research projects, and analyzing and handling large-scale qualitative data. These capacities-building sessions are vital, as they help establish a common professional foundation for future research. As the first of its kind project, this initiative has already begun, with all the team members looking forward to further collaboration. I noted that much more will be learned and achieved as part of our continued partnership between the Institute for Global Health, The Global Business School for Health, and HSPI-Vietnam.
The team witnessing the project in Hanoi’s workshops was transformative. The simple yet effective World Café, a participatory method, allowedTrials participants to engage directly with the来访 team. Their unity and open-mindedness were key. The entire 2-day workshop was about 17.8 hours of engagement, which had a significant impact on understanding the barriers and complexities of health misinformation. Dr. Roberts compared the initial_hours ⇥ unity of participants during the workshops to the importance of face-to-face interaction in understanding complex social dynamics. This led to a deeper appreciation of the role misinformation plays in shaping healthcare services and the development of more robust safety nets to combat misinformation. The workshops not only addressed the technical aspects of misinformation but also the broader social and economic implications, setting the stage for future research.
The success of this project is a testament to the power of collaboration and the ability to engage stakeholders in meaningful ways. Dr. Roberts noted that the capacity-building sessions provided HSPI staff with invaluable tools for their future work. These sessions, led by Dr. Yuxi Zhang (UCL-GBSH) and Dr. Hoang Thi My Hahn (HSPI), underscored the importance of immersive learning and the need for significant support as researchers. They also highlighted the value of training in participatory research methods, which are increasingly essential in addressing emerging challenges like health misinformation.
The future of the collaboration is laid out in optimism. With the insights gained from this initial project, Dr. Roberts has ambitious plans to address the broader issue of health misinformation, particularly in Vietnam and beyond. The team plans to design further workshops and train participants in the same methods and techniques, aiming to build a more sustainable and reciprocal relationship. The lessons learned from the initial project are clear: flipping the script as part of a larger research network can lead to better outcomes for both stakeholders and fundamental understanding. This opens the door to a research model that is both forward-thinking andValue-Oriented, designed to tackle complex challenges like misinformation in a interactive and collaborative space.
