Zoonotic Behaviors Survey (Zbs) / Data Collections At Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

INTRODUCTION

This announcement is a Request for Proposals (RFP) by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP), through the Breakthrough ACTION project, to recruit five (5) data collectors (who must currently reside in Liberia)with at least two years of experience conducting qualitative researchto conduct individual face-to-face cognitive interviews to validate a questionnaire on priority zoonotic diseases (PZDs) and epidemic-prone diseases.

1. PROGRAM CONTEXT

Breakthrough ACTION is an eight-year cooperative agreement funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to lead social and behavior change (SBC) programming around the world. In Liberia, Breakthrough ACTION supports risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) activities related to zoonotic and emerging diseases. Building from current efforts, Breakthrough ACTION will develop an innovative Zoonotic Behaviors Survey (ZBS) instrument to standardize the measurement of behaviors and behavioral determinants related to selected diseases, which will provide greater understanding and insights into the specific factors that may influence risk and prevention behaviors for diseases that come from animals and other epidemic-prone diseases. To test and finalize the ZBS instrument, Breakthrough ACTION plans to conduct a series of interviews utilizing a qualitative process to assess how the questions are understood and how respondents arrive at their answers.

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE COGNITIVE INTERVIEWING SCOPE OF WORK

The main objective of this scope of work is to use cognitive interviewing to 1) test a panel of questions that explore behaviors and behavioral determinants related to zoonotic and other epidemic-prone diseases, 2) contribute to revising the questionnaire to ensure questions are well understood and that response options are complete.

1. METHODOLOGY

The data collectors will:

• Participate in data collection training led by Breakthrough ACTION and informed by the research protocol and data collection tools developed by Breakthrough ACTION.
• Participate in the field data collection phase which will include mobilizing participants, obtaining informed consent, facilitating the individual face-to-face cognitive interviews, and ensuring that audio recording, note-taking, and data management are done properly.
• Summarize feedback on questions during daily debriefs led by Breakthrough ACTION and participate in debrief workshops spaced throughout the data collection phase.
• Write a brief field report that summarizes how the data collection occurred, any challenges faced, and initial feedback on the questionnaire; and
• Ensure quality assurance of deliverables according to Breakthrough ACTION guidelines.

Data will be collected in two sites: Montserrado County and Bong Counties. Breakthrough ACTION anticipates a total maximum sample of 120 interviews across the five qualitative data collectors.

The target is the general population, striving for a balance between men/women, urban/rural residence, level of education, and age, with a particular focus on people who own dogs and raise livestock or poultry for economic gain.

Each interview will take approximately two hours including time for the consent process. Interviews will be audio-recorded to ensure that the notes are thorough and accurate. Recordings and notes will be stored in a secured online drive (JHU OneDrive).

1. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OF THE DATA COLLECTORS

• At least a bachelor’s degree in sociology, anthropology, public health or other related discipline.
• At least 2 years of experience in qualitative data collection in social science, including specific experience conducting individual interviews and note-taking.
• Fluent in English (ability to speak Kpelle preferred); and
• Experience in writing field reports for research studies.

1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DATA COLLECTORS

The data collectors selected will be responsible for the following activities:

1. Participate in the 3-day training workshop, organized and facilitated by the Breakthrough ACTION project. Costs for the training will be the responsibility of Breakthrough ACTION (this includes the training space, supplies, refreshments, and reimbursement of transport for participants).
2. Fully master the interview guides and all ethical and operational procedures.
3. Plan for 10-14 days of fieldwork across Montserrado and Bong County. Data collectors must be available to travel to each site by the timeline negotiated with Breakthrough ACTION.
4. In consultation with Breakthrough ACTION research staff, identify the appropriate local and community authorities and work with them to ensure the recruitment of participants in the study.
5. Collaborate with the Breakthrough ACTION research staff to ensure that appropriate populations are reached for all questionnaire sections to be tested and the sample size limitations are respected.
6. Organize the provision of a token of appreciation to each participant (provided by Breakthrough ACTION).
7. Collect and submit all consent documents from all study participants.
8. Conduct the assigned interviews, ensuring the interviews are audio recorded and thorough notes taken using the Questionnaire Feedback Form provided by Breakthrough ACTION.
9. Update the Breakthrough ACTION team on the progress of activities during the field phase via email phone and WhatsApp, throughout data collection and update the Study Monitoring Form daily.
10. Ensure both the audio recording and Questionnaire Feedback Form are uploaded to the secured drive for each interview.
11. Ensure the quality of the notes.
12. Participate in monitoring and follow-up meetings as requested by the Breakthrough ACTION team.
13. Provide all of the deliverables included in section VI.

    DELIVERABLES

The following deliverables shall be provided by each data collector:

1. Completed consent documents for each participant interviewed.
2. Completed Questionnaire Feedback Form for each interview.
3. The Study Monitoring Form, fully completed with details on activities and participants at each site.
4. Electronic files of all audio recordings.
5. A field report, completed after the data collection, which summarizes the field data collection phase, including a summary of activities by site and an initial synthesis of data, describing all unexpected events or circumstances arising during the data collection process and a summary of improvements suggested for the questionnaire; and
6. All completed electronic files related to the study are uploaded onto the designated secure JHU OneDrive server.