Evaluation of the outcomes of a capacity strengthening project on abortion research in Nigeria

Abstract

Unplanned pregnancy and unsafe abortion are major public health problems in Nigeria. In 2021, the Guttmacher Institute, USA, the Academy for Health Development (AHEAD), and the Centre for Research, Evaluation Resources, and Development (CRERD), launched the Capacity Strengthening for Abortion Research in Nigeria (CSARN) project to equip early-career researchers with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to conduct and disseminate abortion-related research in Nigeria. Twenty-five mid- and early-career researchers were selected as CSARN fellows. We evaluated the impact of the CSARN program on the fellows' research achievements and professional development. Data were collected through an online survey among 17 out of the 24 fellows trained. Six of the fellows participated in in-depth interviews that further investigated their experiences and scholarly achievements. Most of the survey respondents (12; 70.6%) were female, with a mean age of 37.7±5.8. After the training, most participants (88.2%) had published an article in a scholarly journal, made oral (76.5%) or poster presentations (64.7%) at scientific conferences. In addition, 41.2% had won a research grant, with a combined value of $61,573 USD. There was consensus among in-depth interviewees that the CSARN training has positively impacted their career development, describing the program as 'superb', 'eye opener', 'exciting and interesting'. The CSARN program is a model that can be scaled up and/or adapted in other settings to help meet the research and professional training needs of young researchers interested in sexual and reproductive health.