Trial lecture
" The implications of sociocultural perspectives on drug use in India with a particular focus on the reach of digital innovations and interventions”
Time and place: October 30, 2024 11:15 AM. Kristen Nygaards sal (5370), Ole Johan Dahls hus.
Main research findings
Complex diseases, like HIV, heed complex health policies and programs. Often, these are designed with a medical focus. Harm reduction refers to programmes, practices and policies that protect persons who use drugs (PWUD) from health, social and legal impacts of drug use. Although developed greatly, social challenges such as care fragmentation, gender discrimination, stigma and violence towards PWUD remain high, in low- and middle-income countries. My work focussed on the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in enabling and hindering healthcare access for marginalised populations. I conducted a qualitative study in India involving PWUD, harm reduction and health information systems personnel. Findings revealed that PWUD truly seek social harm reduction entailing a family, employment and safety, apart from medical care. ICT emerged as enablers of patient-centric HIV care but also worsened social barriers, dissuading PWUD from making good health choices. Drug user networks displayed collective capability using ICT to strengthen their voice in advocacy for the individual PWUD. Findings foster discussions beyond the biomedical towards the biosocial. They urge health and ICT policymakers and practitioners to be responsible in mitigating harm when designing health technology. They encourage keeping central communities whose informational strengths go beyond that of modern technology.
Adjudication committee
- Associate Professor Esmita Charani, University of Cape Town, South Africa
- Professor Jens Seeberg, Aarhus University, Denmark
- Associate Professor Lena Hylving, University of Oslo, Norway
Supervisors
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Professor Sundeep Sahay, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
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Professor Eivind Engerbretsen, Sustainable Health Unit, The Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway
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Researcher Tony Joakim Ananias Sandset, Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Education, University of Oslo, Norway
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Assistant Professor Nilesh Chandrakant Gawde, Center for Public Health, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India
Chair of defence
Professor Jens Johan Kaasbøll, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo
Contact information at Department: Mozhdeh Sheibani Harat