ICDR-Zambia

Update: Group is currently inactive. More information coming soon. 

About

Purpose & History

ICDR-Zambia was formed in 2011 to conduct novel global rehabilitation and disability research in Zambia. We strive to unite people at the University of Toronto, Canada and internationally, who are conducting disability and/or rehabilitation research in Zambia to enhance the integrity of our research through harmonization and mutual problem solving.

Leadership

Chair: Marianne Stevens

Vice-Chair Education: Sarah Eby

Members

Anson Au, Shaun Cleaver, Sarah Eby, Stephanie Nixon, Janet Njelesani, Marianne Stevens

Partners

University of Zambia The University of Zambia has a vision to be the provider of world class services in higher education and knowledge generation and a mission to provide relevant higher education through teaching, research and community service.

Zambart is a Zambian NGO formed in 2004 from a collaboration between the University of Zambia’s School of Medicine and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that focuses on the overlap between HIV and tuberculosis in order to improve the quality of life of people affected by the diseases.

Realize brings together the worlds of HIV, disability and rehabilitation and through its leadership in research, education and cross-sector partnerships is working to address the rehabilitation needs of people living with HIV and changing HIV prevention, care, treatment and support 

Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) has built a global reputation as a leading applied research centre that brings together interdisciplinary teams to solve complex health problems and its mission is to inspire health and development strategies, policies and practices that improve the welfare of people in and beyond Africa.

Lusaka Apex Medical University (LAMU) is a private Medical University in Zambia contributing to the global supply of highly qualified health professionals with emphasis on Zambia and Southern Africa. 

Research

a) Projects

Current

• Toward a Paradigm Shift in Rehabilitation for Adults and Children Living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Novel KT Intervention. This project will tailor, implement and evaluate a novel intervention in three physical therapy training programs in Kenya, South Africa and Zambia to increase the capacity of rehabilitation students to become HIV and rehabilitation advocates and  improve the health of adults and children living with HIV. The intervention will use content from the e-module on HIV and rehabilitation, problem-based learning and clinical placements. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). April 2017 – March 2020
• Sepo III: Advancing Chronic Disease Models of Care for People Living with HIV in Resource Poor Settings. This project will identify HIV-related chronic disease interventions for children and adolescents in Zambia to develop an in-depth understanding of HIV-related chronic disease interventions in Zambia to advance the management and health of people living with HIV as a chronic illness.

Previous work

• E-module on HIV and Rehabilitation: An E-module to Address HIV-Related Disability and Rehabilitation in Sub-Saharan Africa. An online innovative teaching tool was developed to promote rehabilitation in the context of HIV in Africa, the “HIV and Rehabilitation eModule”. This resource was adapted from a Canadian resource developed by Realize and tested for rehabilitation professionals in sub-Saharan Africa to improve health and reduce disability for individuals living with HIV. Click here to access the tool. Funded by Grand Challenges Canada 2013 October – 2015 April.
• Sepo II Study: Exploring the Functioning, Disability and Health of Women and Men Living with HIV in Zambia: Shifting Perspectives for a Longer-Term Approach to HIV Care in Southern Africa. An in-depth longitudinal qualitative study using a rehabilitation framework to explore the experiences of women and men living with HIV in Zambia. April 2012 – 2015 March. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Open Operating Grant.
• Sepo I Study: An in-depth qualitative study of health equity issues facing people with disabilities in Zambia who are living with HIV
• A Search for Strategies to Redress the Disadvantages of Disability in Western Zambia. Cleaver, S. Two disability communities in Western Zambia collaborate with a Canadian PhD student researcher to better understand the problems related to their disabilities, and strategies to counter-act these problems. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Fellowship and W. Garfield Weston Doctoral Fellowship Program.

b) Publications

c) Presentations

• 2017 July 2-5 Clever S, Polatajko H, Bond V, Magalhães L, Nixon S. “Exploring the concerns of persons with disabilities in western Zambia: Opportunities to think differently about physiotherapy in the global South” World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress; Cape Town, South Africa
• 2017 July 2-5 Cleaver S, Magalhães L, Bond V Nixon S. “When we say ‘disabled persons’ organization (DPO),’ What do we mean? Exploring the construction of two DPOs in western Zambia”World Confederation of Physical Therapy Congress; Cape Town, South Africa
• 2016 July 19 21st International AIDS Conference. Durban, South Africa. Results of the Sepo II Study: Experiences of HIV-related Disability among Women and Men on ART in Lusaka, Nixon SA, Cameron C, Bond VA et al. (poster)
• 2016 May 14 Cleaver S, Polatajko H, Nixon S. “Independent Initiative Tunnel Vision: A reflexive analysis on disability research in Zambia”PEGASUS Conference; Toronto, ON, Canada.
• 2016 May 13 Nixon SA, Cameron C, Bond VA, Solomon P, et al. Living Life on ART: Results of the Sepo II Study in Lusaka, Zambia. 26th Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS. Winnipeg, MB. (oral)
• 2016 May 13 Nixon SA, Cameron C, Chetty V et al. Knowledge Translation of HIV Research with Policy-Makers, Health Workers and the Media in Sub-Saharan Africa: Successes and Lessons Learned. 26th Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS. Winnipeg, MB. (poster)
• 2016 April 18 Missed opportunities: Perspectives of PTs and OTs in Kenya and Zambia regarding the role of rehabilitation in the care of people living with HIV (PHAs).Canadian Conference on Global Health, Montreal, QC. Cameron C, Mweshi M, Nkandu E, Okidi C, Tattle S, Yates T. 
• 2015 Dec 2 Experiences of disability related stigma and discrimination among Persons with Disabilities living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. International Conference on HIV/AIDS and STI’s in Africa. Harare, Zimbabwe. Sinyinza R, Simwaba P, Hanass-Hancock J, Nixon SA. (poster)
• 2015 Nov 6 Missed opportunities: Perspectives of PTs and OTs in Kenya and Zambia regarding the role of rehabilitation in the care of people living with HIV (PHAs).Canadian Conference on Global Health, Montreal, QC. Cameron C, Mweshi M, Nkandu E, Okidi C, Tattle S, Yates T. 
• 2015 July 20 3^rdAssociation for Social Science and Humanities in HIV Research Conference. VA Stellenbosch, South Africa. ARVs may be a magic bullet for HIV but not for HIV Stigma: Results of a Qualitative Longitudinal Study of PLWH on antiretroviral treatment in Zambia. Bond, SA Nixon et al. (oral)
• 2014 July 20 The Persistence and Resistance of HIV-related stigma in the Era of ART: Experiences of People Living with HIV and on ART in Lusaka, Zambia.20^th International AIDS Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Presenters: Bond VA, Nixon SA, et al. (poster) 

• 2014 May 1 The Sepo II Study: Using a Disability Framework to Examine Experiences of ART Among Women and Men Living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. 23^rd Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research. St. John’s, Canada. Presenter(s): Nixon SA, Bond V, Solomon P, Hanass-Hancock J, Maimbolwa M, Menon A, Siwale M, Simwaba P. (poster) 
• 2014 May 1 Adapting CWGHR’s eModule on HIV and Rehabilitation for Sub-Saharan Africa: Results of Phase 1. 23^rdAnnual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research. St. John’s, Canada. Presenter(s): Nixon SA, Munalula Nkandu E, Mweshi M, Okidi C, Zack E, Cameron C. (poster)
• 2013 Oct 29    The Sepo II Study: Experiences of ‘Functioning, Disability and Health’ of Women and Men Living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. 20th Canadian Conference on Global Health. Ottawa, Canada.  Presenter(s): Nixon SA, Bond V, Cameron C, Hanass-Hancock J, Ibanez-Carrasco F, Menon A, Solomon P, Zack E. (oral).
• 2013 Oct 28    Sub-plenary: Can we have an impact without inclusion? Disability: The Missing MDG. 20th Canadian Conference on Global Health. Ottawa, Canada.  Presenter(s): Nixon SA, Brown Y, Simwaba P, Davis A, Cameron D, Cockburn L, Cleaver S, O’Hearn S, Hunt M, Jalovcic D, Wolbring G. (oral).
• 2013 Oct 27-29, 2013   Stevens M, Kirsh B, Nixon SA. Rehabilitation interventions for children living with HIV: a scoping review. Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada.
• 2013 Oct 27-29   Cleaver S, Magalhaes L, Nixon S, Polatajko H. “Collaborating with Persons with Disabilities in Zambia to Rethink Rehabilitation” Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada.
• 2013 Oct 29   Nixon SA, Bond V, Cameron C, Hanass-Hancock J, Ibanez-Carrasco F, Menon A, Solomon P, Zack E. The Sepo II Study: Experiences of ‘Functioning, Disability and Health’ of Women and Men Living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. 20th Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada (oral).
• 2013 Oct 28   Nixon SA, Brown Y, Simwaba P, Davis A, Cameron D, Cockburn L, Cleaver S, O’Hearn S, Hunt M, Jalovcic D, Wolbring G. Sub-plenary: Can we have an impact without inclusion? Disability: The Missing MDG. 20th Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada (oral).
• 2013 Oct 15    Seventh Zambian National Health Research Conference. Presenter(s): Mwamba C, Musheke M, Bond VA, Maimbolwa M, Menon A, Simwaba P, Cameron C, Solomon P, Hanass-Hancock J, Zack E, Ibanez-Carrasco F, Nixon SA. The ‘Functioning, Disability and Health’ experiences of people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy in Lusaka, Zambia: Implications for HIV care. (poster)
• 2012 Oct 21-23  Stevens M. An examination of the activity and participation of children living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health within a critical ethnographic approach. Theme Group on Inclusion and Disability session. 19th Canadian Conference on Global Health, Ottawa, ON.
• 2012 Oct 23  Nixon SA. Examining access to HIV-related health services for persons with disabilities in Zambia: toward a participator accessibility assessment tool. 19th Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada (oral).
• 2012 Oct 22   Developing global research partnerships: A Canadian-Zambian case study 19th Canadian Conference on Global Health. Ottawa, Canada.  Presenter(s): Njelesani J, Stevens M, Cleaver S, Lombe M, Nixon SA. (poster)
• 2012 Oct 22   Wickenden A, Nixon SA, Yoshida K. (Dis)Abling Sexualities: Exploring the impact of the intersection of HIV, disability and gender on the sexualities of women and men in Lusaka, Zambia. 19th Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada (poster).
• 2012 Oct 22   Njelesani J, Stevens M, Cleaver S, Lombe M, Nixon SA. Developing global research partnerships: A Canadian-Zambian case study. 19th Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada, October 22, 2012 (poster).
• 2012 Oct 21   Nixon SA, Cameron C, Hanass-Hancock J, Simwaba P, Solomon P. Disability, inclusion and rehabilitation: a showcase of Canada’s global responses. 19th Canadian Conference on Global Health; Ottawa, ON, Canada (oral).
• 2012 Jul 24   XIX International AIDS Conference, Washington DC, USA.  Presenter(s): Njelesani J, Cameron D, Parsons J, Nixon SA. Work experiences of people with disabilities who are HIV+ in Lusaka, Zambia. (poster)
• 2012 July 24   Njelesani J, Cameron D, Gibson BE, Nixon SA, Polatajko H. Who gets to play?: Evaluating sports as the means for HIV programming through an occupational perspective. XIX International AIDS Conference; Washington DC, USA,  (poster).
• 2012 Apr 21   Nixon SA, Cameron C, Hanass-Hancock J, Simwaba P, Solomon P. Operationalizing qualitative HIV research fieldwork in a resource-poor country: Lessons learned in Lusaka, Zambia regarding rigorous and ethical research procedures. 21st Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research; Montreal, Quebec, Canada (oral).
• 2012 Apr 19  Njelesani J, Cameron D, Gibson BE, Nixon SA, Polatajko H. Who gets to play: Evaluating sports as the means for HIV programming through an occupational perspective. 21st Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research; Montreal, Quebec, Canada (poster).
• 2011  Njelesani, J., Cameron, D., & Polatajko, H. J. Using occupations in the attainment of the MDGs. 7th OTARG Congress. Livingstone, Zambia.
• 2010  Njelesani, J., Cameron, D., & Polatajko, H. J. Bridging occupation and the international development agenda. CSOS & SSO: USA Joint OS Conference, London, ON, Canada.

d) Other