Advancing Global Diabetes Care through Collaborative Research in Nigeria

This summer, Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) student Anika Agrawal had the opportunity to delve into the complexities of diabetes care on a global scale.

Invited to Port Harcourt, Nigeria, she worked on a diabetes education project under the mentorship of Lolia Abibo, MD, assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at MCW. This collaborative project, which builds upon previous efforts by Dr. Abibo and other MCW medical students, explores the challenges faced by patients and providers in managing diabetes, a condition with significant complications in Nigeria.

Agrawal’s role focused on administering surveys to patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, as well as to the healthcare providers who care for them. Through these surveys, Agrawal and her MCW and Nigerian research collaborators sought to understand the perspectives of both groups in managing the disease.

The “Cultural Health Capital” Framework

A key element of her research was exploring the concept of “cultural health capital” (CHC), which refers to the knowledge, beliefs and communication skills patients bring into their interactions with healthcare providers. The term also applies to capital brought into the patient-physician interaction by the healthcare provider that can influence the discussion. By assessing these factors, Agrawal and her team aimed to identify areas where patients and providers might need additional support or education.

The research is expected to contribute to the development of an educational curriculum that will be implemented in Nigeria next summer. This curriculum will target both patients and healthcare providers, aiming to fill knowledge gaps and improve diabetes management and outcomes.

We’re hoping to use all of this data that we’ve collected this summer to make an education curriculum that we will implement next summer to help fill in some of the gaps that exist in terms of knowledge surrounding diabetes,” she says.

“Dr. Tamunopriye Jaja, Senior Lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt College of Health Sciences, believes this research could make a difference in diabetes care. “The reciprocal research partnership promises to really touch on a very important aspect of diabetes care which is diabetes education,” Dr. Jaja says. “I look forward to its conclusion and eventual development of the educational document.”

Pursuing an Interest in Global Health

With a strong family history of diabetes and a background in South Asia, where diabetes is prevalent, Agrawal was drawn to the project both by her personal experiences and her interest in global health. Nigeria’s high rate of diabetes complications compared to the rest of the world made it an ideal location for this research.

Agrawal also highlighted the value of comparing and contrasting diabetes care between the U.S. and Nigeria, noting that this experience allowed her to better understand the global disparities in healthcare.

This experience was not Agrawal’s first foray into global health. She has been involved in global health initiatives since high school, having spent time in rural India and Spain to understand different healthcare systems. However, this summer marked the first time she conducted multi-national research and collected data abroad, which expanded her understanding of global health in a more profound and sustained way.

“It was exciting to be doing collaborative global health research in a sustained ethical manner this summer,” Agrawal says.

Working closely with Dr. Abibo, Agrawal not only gained valuable research skills, but also a deeper appreciation for the cultural nuances of healthcare. Staying with Dr. Abibo’s family allowed her to immerse herself in the local culture, which enriched her understanding of the social and cultural context of her research.

“Dr. Abibo has been an engaged faculty member who is so invested in my own success as not only a student but also as a citizen of the world,” Agrawal says of her mentor.

Agrawal is enthusiastic about continuing her engagement in global health. She hopes to participate in global health electives during her fourth year of medical school and envisions a future where she can incorporate global health into her medical practice. Inspired by the physicians she worked with, including Dr. Abibo, Agrawal is committed to making a positive impact on healthcare systems both in the U.S. and abroad.