Health Project

Merlyn M.C. Rodrigues

**** ************ ***** **. ***** (Res.) 314-***-****

Hazelwood MO 63042 (Cell) 314-***-****

U.S.A Email: abpmwv@r.postjobfree.com

EDUCATION

University of London, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, U.K.

Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Course, 2002

University of Mumbai, Department of Applied Psychology, Mumbai, India

Masters of Arts (M.A.), 1998

Major: Counseling Psychology

* Registered as a Rehabilitation Psychologist at the Rehabilitation Council of India, New Delhi

Goa University, Goa, India

Bachelors of Arts (B.A.), 1996

Major: Psychology (Honors).

APPOINTMENTS

1. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine & Sangath Centre for Child

Development and Family Guidance, Goa, India(Website: www.sangath.com, ww.lshtm.ac.uk)

Research Coordinator: Common Mental Disorders Research & Gynecological Morbidity

Project (3/2001-3/2004). Project funded by Wellcome Turst, UK.

Job Responsibility:

Coordination of a cohort study involving 3000 research study participants that were reviewed at 6

months and 12 months following recruitment.

Development of Questionnaires on psychosocial and gynecological health.

Conducting Qualitative and Quantitative interviews on mental and gynecological health.

Training & supervising research assistants in the administration of all the interview questionnaires

including the administration of the CISR The Clinical Interview Schedule Revised (The interview

for the measurement and diagnosis of anxiety and depression in community and primary care

settings).

Performing various administrative tasks like keeping all interviewing and testing materials in stock

Providing counseling services for women suffering from Depression.

1

Network and liaisons with community groups2and other professionals to create awareness of the

project.

Ensuring high follow-up rates (93% reviewed at 6 months and at 12 months 87%)

Use of statistical analysis software (SPSS)

Research Assistant Depression after Childbirth Study (11/1998-2/2001). Project funded by

MacArthur Foundation, U.S.A

Job Responsibility:

Coordination of a prospective cohort research study

Development of Questionnaires on Psychosocial Health

Conducting interviews for assessment of psychiatric status, obstetric history and maternal

health on the cohort of 270 mothers during the prospective study

Infant growth assessments as part of evaluation of infant outcomes

Trained and conducted qualitative in-depth interviews, exploring men and women s

perspectives and views on parenthood and related issues with the total sample and analysis

Computer data entry for analysis

Scientific paper writing and development of brochures and educational materials on the study

findings

Clinical Experience:

Administration of Psycho-Educational and Personality Testing for children

Detail History taking and administration of various Child development checklists and

questionnaires

Creating dissemination materials in the area of maternal and infant health

Assisting in organization of workshops for parents, children, adolescents and professionals

Networking with other professionals and organizations involved in child and family well being

2. Postpartum Support International (PSI), California USA India Coordinator (Voluntary)

4/2003-3/2006

3. KRIPA Foundation for the Alcoholics, Goa, India

Counselor 8/1998 11/1998

Managed the psychological testing & Counseling at the Center

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

Qualitative Research: Dr. Bert Pelto, Goa, India

Qualitative Research methods: By Dr. Surrinder Jaswal, Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS),

Mumbai, India

Research Proposal Writing and Qualitative 2

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Paper Presentation: By Dr. Vikram Patel, Reader, London School of Hygiene & Tropical

Medicine

Postparturm Depression Seminar: By Dr. Pec Indman and Dr. Shoshana Bennet, Walnut Creek,

CA, USA

Applied Behavioral Analysis: By Dr. Reeta Peshawaria, NIMH, Secunderabad, India.

Teacher s Training Workshop on HIV/AIDS and Sexuality : By Positive People, Goa, India

Sexuality -An Introductory Workshop for Intervenors: Conducted by IFSHA (Interventions for

Support, Healing and Awareness), New Delhi, India

Learning Disabilities: By Ms. Shaila Vora, Maharastra Dyslexic Association (M.D.A), Mumbai,

India

Intervention for Suicide Prevention: Conducted by the Goa Psychiatric Association, Goa, India

Web Designing: Soft Cell Computer Training, Goa, India

PUBLICATIONS

1.Rodrigues, M., Patel, V., Jaswal, S. & DeSouza,N. Listening to Mothers: Qualitative Studies

on Motherhood and Depression from Goa, India. Social Science & Medicine 57 (2003) 1797

18061.

2. Patel, V., Rodrigues,M., De Souza,N. (2002) Gender, Poverty & Postnatal depression: a

cohort study from Goa, India. American Journal of Psychiatry,159, 43-7.

3. Patel, V., de Souza, N., Rodrigues, M. Postnatal depression and infant growth & development

in low-income countries: a cohort study from Goa,India. Archives of Disease in Childhood

2002;87:0-3

4. Patel, V., Pednekar, S., Weiss, H., Rodrigues, M., et. al .Why do women complain of vaginal

discharge? A population survey of infectious and pyschosocial risk factors in a South Asian

community. International Journal of Epidemiology 2005;34:853 862

5. M. Rodrigues (1998) The Relationship between Stress and Cancer A research thesis (M.A)-

University of Mumbai Library.

6. Child Development handouts: Discipline of preschoolers and 9-14 year olds, Mental

Retardation, ADHD-Information for parents and Bed Wetting

7. Dissemination IEC material like brochures and flip charts on Improving the health of the

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mother and child and reproductive health such as, What is a gynecological examination? etc.

CONFERENCE PAPERS

Platform presentation on Violence, Gender Preference & Motherhood at the Conference for

professionals on Gender, Violence and Health organized by the State Commission for Women,

Directorate of Health Services and the Sangath Society, India, March 2001

TEACHING

Qualitative Research Methodology Training at a residential workshop on researching

adolescent health which included:

An orientation on qualitative research and methods used in qualitative research

Class room exercises on freelisting,FGD,Pile sorting & In-depth interviewing

COMPUTER SKILLS

Proficient in MS Office ( Microsoft Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, HTML)

Familiar with the use of statistical software SPSS & qualitative analysis software AtlasTi

LANGUAGES

Fluent (written and spoken): English, Konkani and Hindi

REFREES

1. Dr. Vikram Patel, MRCPsych, Ph.D., Reader in International Mental Health & Wellcome

Trust Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Tropical Medicine, London School of Hygiene and

Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1.

Email address: abpmwv@r.postjobfree.com

Phone: 011- 919*********

2. Ms. Anshu Mohllajee,MPH, Doctoral candidate,Department of Epidemiology,Harvard

School of Public Health, 193 Warren Ave Apt 4, Boston, MA 02116

Email address: abpmwv@r.postjobfree.com

Phone: 617-***-****

3. Dr. (Ms.) Nandita de Souza, M.D, DNBE (Paediatrics), Sethu Centre for Child Development

and Family Guidance, Goa, India

Email address: abpmwv@r.postjobfree.com

Phone: 011-918322417458

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4. Dr. (Ms.) Surrinder Jaswal, Reader, Department of Medical and Psychiatric Social Work,

Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Deonar, Mumbai, India

Email address: abpmwv@r.postjobfree.com

Phone: 011-912225563290

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