Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pandemics and natural disasters have historically disrupted research ecosystems worldwide. In India, for example, the COVID-19 epidemic, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and the 1918 influenza pandemic have not only impacted education systems but also research-related activities. Early-career scholars were disproportionately affected by the severe disruptions to research activity induced by the COVID-19 Pandemic. AIM: To determine and examine the difficulties PhD research scholars encountered in India during the COVID-19 Pandemic and to understand coping mechanisms used to minimise uncertainties. METHODS: Among full-time PhD scholars at a tertiary healthcare institution in India, we conducted a sequential explanatory mixed-methods study. A pre-validated online questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data, and focus group discussions (FGDs) were held to examine problems and potential solutions further. Descriptive statistics, thematic analysis, and triangulation of questionnaire and FGD results were used to examine the data. RESULTS: 16 scholars participated in FGDs, and 41 scholars completed the questionnaire. Administrative barriers, logistical obstacles, time limits from pandemic-related tasks, participant recruitment issues, infrastructure closures, and missed opportunities for collaboration were the six thematic domains of difficulty that surfaced. Five types of coping techniques were identified: emotion-focused, meaning-focused, problem-focused, problem-avoidance, and social-focused coping. Adaptive measures, such as local material sourcing, skill development through online platforms, and alternative data collection, were used by scholars. CONCLUSION: Natural calamities and pandemics have a systemic impact on research, particularly for early-career researchers. Flexible deadlines, emergency funding, streamlined teamwork, and crisis-adaptive ethics review procedures were among the few recommendations.