Maternal and perinatal Health Research Collaboration, India (MaatHRI): methodology for establishing a hospital-based research platform in a low and middle income country setting

Background: Maternal and perinatal Health Research collaboration, India (MaatHRI) is a research platform that aims to improve evidence-based pregnancy care and outcomes for mothers and babies in India, a country with the second highest burden of maternal and perinatal deaths. The objective of this paper is to describe the methods used to establish and standardise the platform and the results of the process. Methods: MaatHRI is a hospital-based collaborative research platform. It is adapted from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) and built on a pilot model (IndOSS-Assam), which has been extensively standardised using the following methods: (i) establishing a network of hospitals; (ii) setting up a secure system for data collection, storage and transfer; (iii) developing a standardised laboratory infrastructure; and (iv) developing and implementing regulatory systems. Results: MaatHRI was established in September 2018. Fourteen hospitals participate across four states in India – Assam, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The research team includes 20 nurses, a project manager, 16 obstetricians, two pathologists, a public health specialist, a general physician and a paediatrician. MaatHRI has advanced standardisation of data and laboratory parameters, real-time monitoring of data and participant safety, and secure transfer of data. Four observational epidemiological studies are presently being undertaken through the platform. MaatHRI has enabled bi-directional capacity building. It is overseen by a steering committee and a data safety and monitoring board, a process that is not normally used, but was found to be highly effective in ensuring data safety and equitable partnerships in the context of low and middle income countries (LMICs). Conclusion: MaatHRI is the first prototype of UKOSS and other similar platforms in a LMIC setting. The model is built on existing methods but applies new standardisation processes to develop a collaborative research platform that can be replicated in other LMICs.

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Maternal and perinatal Health Research Collaboration, India (MaatHRI): methodology for establishing a hospital-based research platform in a low and middle income country setting

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.24923.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 683

Author(s):

Manisha Nair ◽

Babul Bezbaruah ◽

Amrit Krishna Bora ◽

Krishnaram Bora ◽

Shakuntala Chhabra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Research ◽

Collaborative Research ◽

Research Collaboration ◽

Perinatal Health ◽

General Physician ◽

Middle Income ◽

Data Safety ◽

Pilot Model ◽

Research Platform ◽

Low And Middle Income

Background: Maternal and perinatal Health Research collaboration, India (MaatHRI) is a research platform that aims to improve evidence-based pregnancy care and outcomes for mothers and babies in India, a country with the second highest burden of maternal and perinatal deaths. The objective of this paper is to describe the methods used to establish and standardise the platform and the results of the process. Methods: MaatHRI is a hospital-based collaborative research platform. It is adapted from the UK Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) and built on a pilot model (IndOSS-Assam), which has been extensively standardised using the following methods: (i) establishing a network of hospitals; (ii) setting up a secure system for data collection, storage and transfer; (iii) developing a standardised laboratory infrastructure; and (iv) developing and implementing regulatory systems. Results: MaatHRI was established in September 2018. Fourteen hospitals participate across four states in India – Assam, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The research team includes 20 nurses, a project manager, 16 obstetricians, two pathologists, a public health specialist, a general physician and a paediatrician. MaatHRI has advanced standardisation of data and laboratory parameters, real-time monitoring of data and participant safety, and secure transfer of data. Four observational epidemiological studies are presently being undertaken through the platform. MaatHRI has enabled bi-directional capacity building. It is overseen by a steering committee and a data safety and monitoring board, a process that is not normally used, but was found to be highly effective in ensuring data safety and equitable partnerships in the context of low and middle income countries (LMICs). Conclusion: MaatHRI is the first prototype of UKOSS and other similar platforms in a LMIC setting. The model is built on existing methods but applies new standardisation processes to develop a collaborative research platform that can be replicated in other LMICs.

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Maternal and perinatal Health Research Collaboration, India (MaatHRI): establishing a hospital-based international collaborative research platform

10.22541/au.158931017.74200443 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Manisha Nair ◽

Babul Bezbaruah ◽

Amrit Bora ◽

Krishnaram Bora ◽

Shakuntala Chhabra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Research ◽

Collaborative Research ◽

Research Collaboration ◽

Perinatal Health ◽

Research Platform ◽

International Collaborative ◽

International Collaborative Research

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International Health Research Ethics

The Oxford Handbook of Research Ethics ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190947750.013.52 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Bridget Pratt

Keyword(s):

Research Ethics ◽

Health Research ◽

International Research ◽

International Health ◽

Middle Income Country ◽

Income Country ◽

Benefit Sharing ◽

Middle Income ◽

Ethical Concerns ◽

Low And Middle Income

Health research funded by organizations from HICs and conducted in low- and middle-income countries has grown significantly since 1990. Power imbalances and inequities frequently (but not always) exist at each stage of the international research process. Unsurprisingly then, a variety of ethical concerns commonly arise in the context of international health research, such as inequities in funding, the semi-colonial nature of international research models, the brain drain of low- and middle-income country researchers, and inequities in partnerships between HIC and low- and middle-income country researchers. In this chapter, these (and other) ethical concerns are introduced and the following ethical concepts to address the concerns are then discussed: responsiveness, standard of care, benefit sharing, community engagement, and social value. Existing guidance and remaining debates about how to specify each of the concepts are summarized. The chapter concludes by highlighting the existence of epistemic injustices within the field of international research ethics.

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Galvanizing Mental Health Research in Low and Middle-Income Countries: Role of Scientific Journals

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1080/j.1440-1614.2004.01375.x ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 276-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Research ◽

Mental Health Research ◽

Scientific Journals ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

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Strengthening Mentoring in Low- and Middle-Income Countries to Advance Global Health Research: An Overview

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.4269/ajtmh.18-0556 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 100 (1_Suppl) ◽

pp. 3-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Andres G. Lescano ◽

Craig R. Cohen ◽

Tony Raj ◽

Laetitia Rispel ◽

Patricia J. Garcia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Global Health ◽

Health Research ◽

Global Health Research ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

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Increased research literacy to facilitate community ownership of health research in low and middle income countries

Ethics & Behavior ◽

10.1080/10508422.2019.1691556 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (6) ◽

pp. 414-424 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ruth G. St. Fleur ◽

Seth J. Schwartz

Keyword(s):

Health Research ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Community Ownership ◽

Research Literacy ◽

Low And Middle Income

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Invited commentary on … Mental health research priorities in low- and middle-income countries

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.109.067793 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 195 (4) ◽

pp. 364-365 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ricardo Araya

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Research ◽

Research Priorities ◽

Mental Health Research ◽

Health Priorities ◽

Middle Income ◽

Simple Process ◽

Inequalities In Health ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

SummaryThere are huge inequalities in health research within and between countries. It is argued that this may hinder the process of setting and tackling mental health priorities. If this were true, establishing research priorities would be important. However, this is not a simple process and one must be aware of its limitations. Despite a plethora of declarations, funding for mental health research in low- and middle-income countries remains hard to find. In the absence of funding, establishing research priorities is seen by many as an exercise of lesser importance.

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Infant Mental Health Research in Africa: a call for action for research in the next 10 years

Global Mental Health ◽

10.1017/gmh.2015.4 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mark Tomlinson ◽

Barak Morgan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Maternal Depression ◽

Health Research ◽

Infant Development ◽

Mental Health Research ◽

Infant Mental Health ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

The Impact ◽

Low And Middle Income

Background.Less than 3% of articles published in the peer reviewed literature include data from low- and middle-income countries – where 90% of the world's infants live.Methods.In this paper, we discuss the context of infancy in Africa and the conditions of adversity obtaining in Africa.Results.We discuss the implications of poverty on parenting, and linked to this outline the impact of maternal depression on infant development.Conclusions.We outline three features of the field of infant mental health research in Africa, and issue a call for action about what we believe is needed in order to develop the field in the next decade.

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