Yesterday began the fifth health research days. On the initiative of the CHU of Guadeloupe, for two days, in a hotel in Le Gosier, the entire medical, hospital and university community as well as local authorities, industrialists and funders discuss to show the transversality of research, its usefulness and its importance for health.
This year, the theme is “collaborative research”. The objective is to accentuate collaborations to intensify the development of health research, particularly in the implementation of the protocol for the management of sickle cell disease.
“Research is essential in this area”recalls Dr. Maryse Etienne-Julan, head of the transversal unit for sickle cell disease at the University Hospital and coordinator of the Antilles Guyana reference center for sickle cell disease. “It is a frequent, serious disease but above all we did not understand why it was so different from one patient to another”explains the specialist. “If we want to treat this disease correctly, we must understand these mechanisms and what makes it so variable in order to develop appropriate treatments”insists Maryse Etienne-Julan.
To succeed, “we must continue to develop research and partnerships”.
Framed research
The effective progress of research requires compliance with specific rules. “There are a certain number of regulations, in particular everything relating to experimentation. This falls within very specific frameworks”, warns Eric Guyader, director general of the CHU of Guadeloupe. “We are extremely vigilant regarding the application of standards,” he adds.
The other fundamental factor in the progress of research is funding. “There are funds that come from the State which are provided to develop research”specifies Eric Guyader. “It is also up to us to develop research by relying on local authorities and of course it is important to develop this dynamic”, continues the director general of the CHU.
Compare
There are many fields of health research. During these days, participants will for example have to look at the comparison of the care pathway for the elderly cared for in foster families and in nursing homes in Guadeloupe.
A major area since in 2030, the proportion of people aged over 65 might reach 28% of the population in our territory.
“We have a specificity overseas, these are the host families. Since 2018, we have had funding from the department of Guadeloupe to work on this alternative to accommodation for the elderly who can no longer live at home.“, explains Professor Maturin Tabue-Teguo, head of the geriatrics center at the Martinique University Hospital and coordinator of the geriatrics specialty at the University of the West Indies. “This project is coupled with that of people who live in nursing homes to be able to see if the host family is a real alternative because living at home is much more favorable and better seen by the elderly”he says.
This innovative project “is the subject of a university doctorate in progress”. “We are starting to value the first results”assures the professor.
