scholarly journals Addressing power imbalances in global health: Pre-Publication Support Services (PREPSS) for authors in low-income and middle-income countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. e002323
Author(s):  
Clara Busse ◽  
Ella August

The contextual knowledge and local expertise that researchers from low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) contribute to studies in these settings enrich the research process and subsequent publications. However, health researchers from LMICs are under-represented in the scientific literature. Distally, power imbalances between LMICs and high-income countries, which provide funding and set priorities for research in LMICs, create structural inequities that inhibit these authors from publishing. More proximally, researchers from LMICs often lack formal training in research project management and in publishing peer-reviewed research. Though academic journals may value research from LMICs conducted by local researchers, they have limited time and financial resources to support writing, causing them to reject manuscripts with promising results if they lack development. Pre-Publication Support Service (PREPSS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that works to meet this need. PREPSS provides onsite training, peer-review and copy editing services to researchers in LMICs who wish to publish their health research in peer-reviewed journals. Authors are not charged for these services. After receiving PREPSS services, authors submit their manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal. The PREPSS model is one of many interventions necessary to restructure global health research to better support health researchers in LMICs and reduce current power imbalances.

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e003758
Author(s):  
Michelle C Dimitris ◽  
Matthew Gittings ◽  
Nicholas B King

Many have called for greater inclusion of researchers from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the conduct of global health research, yet the extent to which this occurs is unclear. Prior studies are journal-, subject-, or region-specific, largely rely on manual review, and yield varying estimates not amenable to broad evaluation of the literature. We conducted a large-scale investigation of the contribution of LMIC-affiliated researchers to published global health research and examined whether this contribution differed over time. We searched titles, abstracts, and keywords for the names of countries ever classified as low-, lower middle-, or upper middle-income by the World Bank, and limited our search to items published from 2000 to 2017 in health science-related journals. Publication metadata were obtained from Elsevier/Scopus and analysed in statistical software. We calculated proportions of publications with any, first, and last authors affiliated with any LMIC as well as the same LMIC(s) identified in the title/abstract/keywords, and stratified analyses by year, country, and countries’ most common income status. We analysed 786 779 publications and found that 86.0% included at least one LMIC-affiliated author, while 77.2% and 71.2% had an LMIC-affiliated first or last author, respectively; however, analagous proportions were only 58.7%, 36.8%, and 29.1% among 100 687 publications about low-income countries. Proportions of publications with LMIC-affiliated authors increased over time, yet this observation was driven by high research activity and representation among upper middle-income countries. Between-country variation in representation was observed, even within income status categories. We invite comment regarding these findings, particularly from voices underrepresented in this field.


2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (1_Suppl) ◽  
pp. 3-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andres G. Lescano ◽  
Craig R. Cohen ◽  
Tony Raj ◽  
Laetitia Rispel ◽  
Patricia J. Garcia ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob Mooij ◽  
Esther MJ Jurgens ◽  
Jeroen van Dillen ◽  
Jelle Stekelenburg

Results from medical research from high-income countries may not apply to low- and middle-income countries. Some expatriate physicians combine clinical duties with research. We present global health research conducted by Dutch medical doctors in Global Health and Tropical Medicine in low- and middle-income countries and explore the value of their research. We included all research conducted in the last 30 years by medical doctors in Global Health and Tropical Medicine in a low- and middle-income country, resulting in a PhD thesis. Articles and co-authors were found through Medline. More than half of the 18 identified PhD theses concerned maternal health and obstetrics, and the majority of the research was conducted in low-income countries, mostly in rural hospitals. Over 70 local co-authors were involved. Different aspects of these studies are discussed.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e052135
Author(s):  
Karolin Kroese ◽  
Katie Porter ◽  
Heidi Surridge ◽  
Doreen Tembo

ObjectivesMeasures to limit the spread of infection during the COVID-19 global pandemic have made engaging and involving members of the community in global health research more challenging. This research aimed to explore how global health researchers adapted to the imposed pandemic measures in low and middle income countries (LMICs) and how they overcame challenges to effective community engagement and involvement (CEI).DesignA qualitative two-stage mixed-methods study involving an online survey and a virtual round table.SettingThe survey and round table were completed online.ParticipantsOf 53 participants, 43 were LMIC-based or UK-based global health researchers and/or CEI professionals, and 10 worked for the National Institute for Health Research or UK Government’s Department of Health and Social Care.Outcome measuresThis study aimed to capture data on: the number of CEI activities halted and adapted because of the COVID-19 pandemic; where CEI is possible; how it has been adapted; what the challenges and successes were; and the potential impact of adapted or halted CEI on global health research.ResultsPandemic control measures forced the majority of researchers to stop or amend their planned CEI activities. Most face-to-face CEI activities were replaced with remote methods, such as online communication. Virtual engagement enabled researchers to maintain already established relationships with community members, but was less effective when developing new relationships or addressing challenges around the inclusion of marginalised community groups.ConclusionsCOVID-19 has highlighted the need for contingency planning and flexibility in CEI. The redesigning and adopting of remote methods has come with both advantages and disadvantages, and required new skills, access to technology, funding, reliable services and enthusiasm from stakeholders. The methods suggested have the potential to augment or substitute previously preferred CEI activities. The effectiveness and impact of these remote CEI activities need to be assessed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-51
Author(s):  
Sara Van Belle

In this article, I set out to capture the dynamics of two streams within the field of global health research: realist research and medical anthropology. I critically discuss the development of methodology and practice in realist health research in low- and middle-income countries against the background of anthropological practice in global health to make claims on why realist enquiry has taken a high flight. I argue that in order to provide a contribution to today’s complex global issues, we need to adopt a pragmatic stance and move past disciplinary silos: both methodologies have the potential to be well-suited to an analysis of deep layers of context and of key social mechanisms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. e001559
Author(s):  
Astrid Berner-Rodoreda ◽  
Eva Annette Rehfuess ◽  
Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch ◽  
Frank Cobelens ◽  
Mario Raviglione ◽  
...  

Global Health has not featured as prominently in the European Union (EU) research agenda in recent years as it did in the first decade of the new millennium, and participation of low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) in EU health research has declined substantially. The Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Framework adopted by the European Parliament in April 2019 for the period 2021–2027 will serve as an important funding instrument for health research, yet the proposed health research budget to be finalised towards the end of 2019 was reduced from 10% in the current framework, Horizon 2020, to 8% in Horizon Europe. Our analysis takes the evolvement of Horizon Europe from the initial framework of June 2018 to the framework agreed on in April 2019 into account. It shows that despite some improvements in terms of Global Health and reference to the Sustainable Development Goals, European industrial competitiveness continues to play a paramount role, with Global Health research needs and relevant health research for LMICs being only partially addressed. We argue that the globally interconnected nature of health and the transdisciplinary nature of health research need to be fully taken into account and acted on in the new European Research and Innovation Framework. A facilitated global research collaboration through Horizon Europe could ensure that Global Health innovations and solutions benefit all parts of the world including EU countries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Semira Abdelmenan ◽  
Christopher T. Andersen ◽  
Fentabil Getnet ◽  
Hari S. Iyer ◽  
Kesaobaka Molebatsi ◽  
...  

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