GHSA
Program

Nikhita returned to PHRII to build upon her previous qualitative research study focused on the lived experiences of young adults living with type 2 diabetes in Mysore district. Based on her 2022 findings, she worked with the PHRII research team to design a peer support intervention to improve diabetes management and quality of life in the same population.  Nikhita led the training of other interns on this project.

Dr. Nayana is a second year Master of Public Health student in the graduate programme at K.S.Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore. Her interest in women's health research led her to seek out an internship at PHRII. During her time there, Dr. Nayana was involved in projects like Gender Based Violence(GBV), Yoga for Healthy Ageing(YHA) and Screening for Cervical cancer and Breast cancer.

A Foreign Service Student at Georgetown University and Paul F. Pelosi Scholar, Harnoor Sachar primarily spent three months at PHRII assisting Dr. Kiran on the gender based violence research study. Beyond this, she also helped implement workshops for the beedi workers' photovoice study and contributed to the development of health education and literacy social media campaigns for PHRII.

Kdevadarsini contibuted to many of PHRII's ongoing research projects including interviews with beedi workers, helping with the identification of tribal villages for water sample collection  and the gender based violence surveys.

Samhita spent 6 weeks working on an impact evaluation project assessing Accredited Social Health Activis (ASHAs) and Anganwadi workers (AWWs) on the cervical cancer screening program that Public Health Research Institute of India (PHRII) conducts. A Molecular/ Cell Biology and Public Health student, Samhita was part of this regional qualitative study lead by the PHRII Staff.

Nikhita is a Master’s of Science candidate in Global Health at Duke University. She is also a Rising Senior double majoring in Global Health and Biomedical Engineering. During her summer internship at PHRII she implemented a research project titled “Experiences with Diabetes in Young Adults in Mysore District”.  This projected was funded by the Duke University Undergraduate Research Program.    

Leona, a Neuroscience and Theatre Arts major, examined training modules for accredited social health activists (ASHAs), community health workers employed by the India Ministry of Health and tasked with supporting maternal and child health in rural regions. She was particularly interested in exploring ASHAs and doulas perceptions of their work. Leona also developed a man's guide to pregancy. 

A Public Health Dentist by training, Dr. Priyanka Ravi is currently pusuing   doctoral degree in the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona. Her research focused on the reproductive health challenges and lived experiences of  women tobacco farmers in Mysore District. She used mixed methods, including photovoice approaches to develop this community centered study. 

She spent 7 weeks in India interning with The Public Health Research Institute of India carrying out scientific research to inform both local and global public health and disease research. The opportunity to connect with students that came to PHRII from the United States, Australia, and other countries was invaluable.