Workshop participants from left: Dr. Nicolette Teufel-Shone, Ms. Erica Weis, Mr. Travis Lane, Ms. Gwenda Gorman, Dr. Kerstin M. Reinschmidt, Dr. Jamie Ritchey, and Ms. Glenda Lumpmouth.

Faculty from the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health taught a four-day qualitative methods workshop to epidemiologists from the Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) at the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) in Phoenix last July.

Dr. Jamie Ritchey, director of the TEC and her team of epidemiologists recognized the need to understand perceptions of stigma among American Indians in Arizona to address HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in culturally appropriate and effective ways. With the goal of assisting tribes in HIV/AIDS prevention and control, Ritchey sought additional training in qualitative methods from the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health.

The workshop was taught by Dr. Kerstin Reinschmidt and Dr. Nicolette Teufel-Shone in the health promotion sciences division of college. Reinschmidt is an assistant professor and teaches a graduate course in qualitative methods. Teufel-Shone is a professor and teaches qualitative methods in community settings and has extensive experience working with American Indian communities.

“Qualitative research has gained momentum in public health to address community health challenges,” said Reinschmidt. “With a focus on understanding how individuals and communities’ attitudes and perceptions influence their own health and illness, qualitative approaches are essential to understand, track and modify the link between knowledge, behavior and health.”

The workshops provided training on the purpose and design of qualitative inquiry, data collection with a focus on in-depth interviews and focus groups, data management and analysis, and the reporting of qualitative results.

“Participants seemed to enjoy the productive training, discussions and brainstorm sessions. We hope to continue to partner with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona to serve American Indian communities,” said Reinschmidt.

For more information about the workshop, contact Kerstin Reinschmidt at (520) 626-8565 and kerstin@email.arizona.edu.