From the Classroom to Chad: PopFam Alum Aminata Diarra's Collaboration with RAISE and the IRC Leads to Published Research

Aminata Diarra, MPH, a graduate of the Mailman School of Public Health’s Department of Population and Family Health, had an enriching experience during her Applied Practice Experience in Chad in the summer of 2022. Collaborating with the RAISE Initiative and the International Rescue Committee of Chad, Aminata contributed to two research projects: a qualitative study on person-centered maternity care and a mixed-methods study on adolescent sexual and reproductive health attitudes and behaviors in the Mile and Kounoungou Sudanese refugee camps in Guereda, Chad.  

With a focus on the experiences of young women and mothers in the camps, she explored the relationships between birthing women and healthcare providers in the refugee maternity care centers, uncovering both positive experiences and challenges. The study findings, recently published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (Refugee women’s and providers’ perceptions of person-centered maternity care: a qualitative study in two refugee camps in Chad), emphasize the importance of patient-centered care and identify areas for improvement in delivering respectful healthcare services to vulnerable populations.