Re: Research Survey on Mens' Sexual Health in India ; We seek your cooperation and participation.

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM

Ref: Swagata Banik's (SB) message We, a consortium comprising of Researchers

from 3 Universities in the US, are conducting a research survey on " Internet and

MSMs' sexual health " in India and we request your participation in this online

survey.

Here is my take on researches especially of this nature.

SB. If you are a man who lives in India, 18 years of age or older we would like

to know about your sexual health. "

Q1. Why should you want to know? Why not share about your own sexual HEALTH? And

what is SEXUAL HEALTH? Perhaps you want to know about 'sexual behaviour' and

the stuff. But academics have a knack for creating NICE words (perhaps to

reaffirm their faith in their own powers)

SB. Men who have sex with other men are at risk for HIV and sexually transmitted

diseases (STDs).

Q2. Please correct you basic assumptions. Everyone indulging in any kind of sex

& also transfusion / exchange of any body fluids in whatever manner is at RISK.

MSM are not the only people at risk.

SB. We also know very little about who uses the Internet to socialize and find

sex partners.

Q3. What gives you the right to KNOW about these things? Seems a little

voyeuristic. But then coming from the US of A, the migthiest nation on earth,

you may think that you have a GREATER right to know

anything that you want to.

SB. Your answers to this survey will help people working in health care

understand how men are using the Internet, and if they are at greater risk for

STDs.

Q4. How does that help the internet users? Though i can see it will help some

others (academicians / researchers) complete their PhDs & theses and get jobs is

some american univs so that they can keep doing more of such researches... & the

cycle goes on.

SB. your answers are important to us, so we hope that you let your voice be

heard and make this project a great success!

Q5. Of course they are imp to u... else your paper won't get published etc. etc.

But how will you 'let my / our voice be heard'? Where & How? or is this just an

english phrase that looked proper and sweet? & what does 'Great Success' of this

project mean?

SB. Your answers will be kept 100% anonymous and confidential and we will not

ask for your name or any other identifying information.

Q6. How very nice and patronizing of you. But then how will my voice be heard.

If the name is not there? Don't you think it will be the 'voices of the authors'

of the paper which will be heard and

applauded at the conferences etc. while the responders here will never even get

to know what happened to the quiz they answered?

SB. The research has ethics approval from 3 Universities.

Q7. Great! but why not 10 univs or 2 or just 1 univ? Is 3 univs approval some

great achievement or a special criteria? And when did the PEOPLE of the WORLD

give these 3 universities the right to start

giving certificates on ETHICS? How ethical is that?

SB. The survey only takes a short time and also everyone who completes it has a

chance to win a 500 rupees gift certificate from Fabmall.com!

Q8. Fabmall is so nice and benevolent. WOW! i must do all my shopping there from

this moment onwards? What a great way to advertise? Now academic researches are

being used by Malls to

advertise... and u claim to have ETHICAL clearence from 3 UNIVS? So much for

ethics... a bribe of 500 rupees (USD 11) to shares one's sexual life.

Hope this will get some of us thinking.

And Swagat, please do not take this peice personally. My only intention is to

get you thinking about the 'NEED' out of which most researches are

originating... and NOT to offend you in anyway.

The 'NEED' for most researches is that of the AUTHORS, ACADEMICIANS (carreer

oriented) and not so much of the PEOPLE, that these researches claim to be

speaking for and of.

Best wishes anyways.

Parvez

e-mail: <drparvezimam@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Ref: Dr. Parvez Imam's comments on " Internet and MSMs' sexual health "

Doctor Parvez, I agree with you but, don't you think that we need to research

and generate more information about various aspects of HIV/AIDS in order to make

better Public health interventions?

A bigger question comes to my mind here which is, " How do we strike a balance

between 'academics, research' and 'public health interventions'?

We can say that the researchers have their own agendas and their own benefits

but aren't there any benefits at all for any one associated with HIV/AIDS

personally or professionally?

I personally think that we need to strike a balance between " Academics " and

" Implementation " as we all come with our own biases but how to go about it is

something which Academicians and Public Health professionals and the People who

are affected by the epidemic should come to an agreement on.

I hope that Dr. Parvez Imam's comments trigger a debate in this direction which

in the end might do some good to all of us.

regards,

Prem

e-mail: <premchaco@...>