CQUniversity's International Program of Psycho-Social Health Research* (IPP-SHR) has launched an extension to its podcast series, aimed at giving researchers, students and the wider community a valuable look 'behind the scenes' of psycho-social health research.

IPP-SHR has published over 100 podcasts of interviews with researchers about psycho-social issues from birth to bereavement, across all diagnostic groups.

"Feedback from our listeners has been overwhelming," said Dr Pam McGrath, Director of IPP-SHR and NHMRC Senior Research Fellow. "People have been asking, not only for the research content, but about how the research is conducted."

"We have the privilege of hearing how the best researchers in their field deal with the practical problems involved in collecting data and analysing findings."

"Our new 'Research Notes' podcasts give listeners an opportunity to gain insight into this untold story of research," she said.

"For instance, how does an academic from the United Kingdom gain the trust of participants in Ethiopia, conduct interviews through an interpreter, and deal with chickens pecking into her tape recorder?"

The 'Research Notes' podcast summaries will look at challenges that face all researchers such as participants not showing up, securing research funding, attracting and recruiting participants, building rapport with unfamiliar communities, and talking to vulnerable people about sensitive topics.

IPP-SHR launched the new 'Research Notes' podcast by interviewing Dr Charlotte Hanlon about her study into post-natal mental distress and the socio-cultural practices of childbirth in Ethiopia.

 'IPP-SHR Podcasts' and 'Research Notes' are released every Friday fortnight to a subscribed audience of 4200 people. To subscribe to 'IPP-SHR Podcasts' or 'Research Notes' via email please click here < http://www.ipp-shr.cqu.edu.au/podcasts/subscribe/>  . For those with relevant readers, the RSS link is via http://feeds2.feedburner.com/ipp-shr_podcasts .

* IPP-SHR is a collaborative initiative jointly funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and CQUniversity. The primary aim of this international program in research is to examine and document the human experience of serious illness (both physical and mental). IPP-SHR is a Sciences, Engineering and Health Faculty initiative and a member of the Institute for Health and Social Science Research, CQUniversity.