In El Salvador, many of the doctors who run rural public health clinics are also actively engaged in epidemiological research. A recent research study in the northern municipality of Chalatenango, for example, discovered that urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, and periodontal disease were driving factors of premature births. These findings served as the evidence base for national guidelines for clinical management of pregnant women.

While the work of these clinicians provides invaluable insight into patient care and outcomes, it is generally not well distributed. Very few of these studies are published or peer-reviewed on an international level.

ASM is engaging local experts to help bring important research findings from El Salvador into national and global health policymaking. This began in March 2017, when ASM Country Ambassador, Dr. Leonor Linares, and ASM Young Ambassador of Science, Dr. Tatiana Ascencio, hosted a scientific writing and publishing workshop. The virtual course trained 15 clinicians working in the department of Chalatenango on effective writing techniques and strategies for publishing research results.

Dr. Ascencio knows the benefits of the workshop have been significant, saying, “It has been possible to establish alliances between the government and private institutions, which have allowed for new research studies.”

These new alliances have created opportunities for studies on HPV in women, leading to greater awareness by clinicians to diagnose the disease, and greater publicity for the issue. With plans to conduct more workshops in the future, El Salvador’s doctors and researchers will be able to build its culture of scientific publishing to further enhance patient treatment outcomes.