I was excited to begin my ACHIEVE project after a great head start with the NIH Research Orientation in July 2024. The process began with the IRB submission, which I believed would be easy, and I was expecting to get the ethical approval within 6 weeks. However, became much more challenges and complex then previously anticipated. It took approximately three months to obtain the ethical approval, and I was delighted knowing I was about to head into the field.
Nonetheless, I was to undergo the long Nairobi City County approval processes to obtain the required research permit for Nairobi County. It required resubmitting the approved protocol for review to Nairobi City County, apply for a Research License from the National Commission of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and pay all necessary fees. After obtaining the research approvals and permits, these documents had to be submitted to the Nairobi sub-county to inform them that research will be conducted in their facilities. This whole process was highly tedious and extremely time-consuming for research with short timelines.
My ACHIEVE project focuses on implementing the Thinking Healthy Program for Pregnant Adolescents and Young Women Living with HIV: A Quasi-Experimental Study in an Urban Low-income setting in Nairobi, Kenya. The main goal is to explore young mothers’ mental health and nutritional needs. The project stems from a simple observation that mental health is just as important as physical health, and the two are deeply intertwined. Researching and understanding these connections will guide new prevention, treatment, and care approaches.
Finally, my ACHIEVE project has now been successfully launched, and the work is ongoing in the field. We look forward to completing the baseline assessment and starting the intervention rollout. Through all of the challenges, I have learned the importance of best research practices and being prepared for the unexpected.