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

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Re: Parvez' comment on Research Survey on Mens' Sexual Health in India

I thought Dr. Parvez comments hilarious but un-informed. Firstly, very few

Indian NGOs or even researchers have heard of Institutional Review Boards or

(IRBs) which " review " research from an ethical point of view before actual

resarch starts on human subjects.

The question is how many of us actually guage in what manner any kind of

research impacts on human-beings before taking it forward?

I still remember that when we (at Humsafar Trust) sent back a proposal from an

American University because our IRB thought it was " unthinking " and " unethical "

regarding some questionnaires, they wewre horrified becacuse it seems the

questionnaires were formulated by a researcher of Indian origin who thought the

questions were " sensitive " when they were not.

Asking questions to young women, for example, like " when did you first have sex "

in front of their mothers (rarely are young women left alone to face questions

from strangers) is not only insensitive but can lead of trouble.

Thus I remember breaking up a question for Truckers -- " Have you had sex with

another man? " into three different questions. The first questions mostly got

horrified looks like the three questions finally got out the amaxing 11 per cent

affirmative answer for the first time from truckers, in an Indian context.

So you see firstly research must be sensitive and secondly it MUST pass through

an IRB.

Both are rather unknown quantities both among the research fraternity and even

our own NGOs till now. No wonder you get shabby research protocols.

Ashok Row Kavi

Humsafar Trust

Mumbai metro.

e-mail: <arowkavi@...>