Project in Indonesia

Investigators

Center for Health Behaviour and Promotion, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Abram Wagner, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health
 
Candidates at the master's and PhD levels are welcome to get involved in the project.
 

Project 1: Promoting healthy behaviors in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Researchers at Universitas Gadjah Mada are conducting interventions to reduce smoking and improve vaccination, and they are also conducting program evaluations using mixed qualitative-quantitative methods.

RATIONALE:

Indonesia is the most populous country in southeast Asia (and worldwide the fourth-most populous). A high proportion of the population engages in certain unhealthy behaviors, like smoking. Understanding how to improve primary care and public health in Indonesia could provide a blueprint to other countries. Under a governmental directive, community health clinics in Yogyakarta are implementing a package of programs which attempt to improve population health. These programs include reducing smoking rates, improving vaccination coverage, developing mental health services, providing care to diabetes patients, and increasing physical activity levels. Researchers at Universitas Gadjah Mada are conducting interventions to reduce smoking and improve vaccination, and they are also conducting program evaluations using mixed qualitative-quantitative methods.

ANTICIPATED ACTIVITIES:

  • The student will help analyze data from surveys.
  • The student will also help to design health promotion materials and infographics, and help conduct program evaluations.

TECHNIQUES OR METHODS STUDENTS SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH:

  • Some background in using statistical programming and data visualization; or coursework in program evaluation; or coursework in qualitative research

SUGGESTED LITERATURE FOR THE PROJECT/TOPIC

  1. Bowen JR. On the Political Construction of Tradition: Gotong Royong in Indonesia. Journal of
    Asian Studies. 1986;45(3): 545-561. https://doi.org/10.2307/2056530\
  2. https://journal.ugm.ac.id/v3/BKM/article/view/2138
  3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-019-6706-4 

A note about the host site:

About 350 miles east of Jakarta on Java Island, Yogyakarta is home to the last hereditary sultan in Indonesia. The region has warm, dry summers. Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is one of the oldest, largest, and highest ranked universities in Indonesia. The city is home to many university students from throughout the country.