Table 6.
Top 20 research questions scored by international experts (n = 55) with scores for each criterion, overall weighted RPS, and AEA
| Rank | Research questions | Domain | Answerability intermediate RPS | Effectiveness intermediate RPS | Deliverability intermediate RPS | Burden intermediate RPS | Equity intermediate RPS | Weighted RPS | AEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
What are the barriers and challenges of implementing facility-based KMC in LMICs? |
HPSR |
0.987 |
0.938 |
0.949 |
0.739 |
0.856 |
0.893 |
0.826 |
| 2 |
How can transport and referral systems for preterm, LBW, SGA newborns be improved or maximised in LMICs? |
HPSR |
0.931 |
0.908 |
0.787 |
0.719 |
0.938 |
0.855 |
0.771 |
| 3 |
Determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of various strategies (e.g. CPAP, high flow oxygen, T-piece resuscitation etc.) for treating preterm infants with respiratory failure in health facilities in LMICs. |
RIEI |
0.867 |
0.955 |
0.845 |
0.682 |
0.893 |
0.847 |
0.777 |
| 4 |
How does the presence of skilled birth and neonatal care attendants influence survival outcomes for babies? |
HPSR |
0.872 |
0.903 |
0.873 |
0.711 |
0.867 |
0.844 |
0.751 |
| 5 |
How can referral network and systems be strengthened for timely referral of women experiencing obstetric emergencies (including preterm labour) from rural/primary care to higher care level facilities in LMICs? |
HPSR |
0.883 |
0.897 |
0.791 |
0.703 |
0.950 |
0.843 |
0.753 |
| 6 |
Assess the effectiveness of community-based KMC in reducing neonatal mortality of clinically stable preterm and LBW infants? |
HPSR |
0.889 |
0.913 |
0.882 |
0.669 |
0.833 |
0.836 |
0.759 |
| 7 |
How to promote early initiation and exclusive breast feeding of preterm, LBW and SGA infants in LMICs? |
RIEI |
0.862 |
0.918 |
0.897 |
0.700 |
0.802 |
0.835 |
0.757 |
| 8 |
Explore barriers and facilitators to antenatal steroid use in public health facilities in LMICs. |
HPSR |
0.928 |
0.878 |
0.921 |
0.683 |
0.731 |
0.828 |
0.741 |
| 9 |
What are barriers and challenges to improving existing skin-to-skin practice in LMICs? |
HPSR |
0.970 |
0.899 |
0.944 |
0.571 |
0.756 |
0.826 |
0.762 |
| 10 |
Develop effective strategies to improve post discharge follow-up of preterm, LBW, and SGA infants in LMICs. |
RDNI |
0.914 |
0.853 |
0.814 |
0.652 |
0.895 |
0.823 |
0.721 |
| 11 |
How can acceptability and compliance of KMC be increased in LMICs? |
RIEI |
0.884 |
0.866 |
0.858 |
0.658 |
0.829 |
0.817 |
0.712 |
| 12 |
Understand the epidemiology of nosocomial infections in newborn nurseries or SCANU in LMICs. |
EPI |
0.915 |
0.873 |
0.902 |
0.658 |
0.692 |
0.808 |
0.731 |
| 13 |
What intervention packages can be developed to manage premature and small infants with neonatal jaundice in LMICs? |
RDNI |
0.891 |
0.892 |
0.850 |
0.660 |
0.742 |
0.807 |
0.713 |
| 14 |
What are the clinical outcomes of preterm newborns discharged to continue KMC at home? |
EPI |
0.942 |
0.806 |
0.881 |
0.589 |
0.838 |
0.807 |
0.739 |
| 15 |
Evaluate the use of digital technologies (e.g. mobile phone etc.) to improve follow-up of preterm babies after discharge from health facilities. |
RIEI |
0.932 |
0.810 |
0.854 |
0.617 |
0.819 |
0.803 |
0.720 |
| 16 |
Can providing proper training to community health workers ensure community continuation of KMC through domiciliary follow-up? |
RIEI |
0.941 |
0.879 |
0.843 |
0.519 |
0.851 |
0.802 |
0.759 |
| 17 |
What is the prevalence and cause of neonatal sepsis in preterm, LBW and small for gestational age SGA infants in LMICs? |
EPI |
0.922 |
0.818 |
0.838 |
0.611 |
0.840 |
0.802 |
0.705 |
| 18 |
Evaluate interventions to screen women at risk of PTB during ANC (e.g. anaemia, preeclampsia, NCDs, malnutrition) and improve maternal and newborn outcomes in LMICs. |
HPSR |
0.899 |
0.845 |
0.854 |
0.586 |
0.831 |
0.799 |
0.703 |
| 19 |
Assess the effect of ECD interventions (e.g. early infant stimulation/parenting interventions) on health and developmental outcomes of preterm newborn. |
EPI |
0.899 |
0.873 |
0.796 |
0.603 |
0.813 |
0.795 |
0.717 |
| 20 | Evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of QI activities in improving care of preterm babies at health facilities in LMICs. | HPSR | 0.875 | 0.803 | 0.795 | 0.670 | 0.828 | 0.792 | 0.664 |
SCANU – specialised care newborn units, LMICs – low and middle-income countries, KMC - Kangaroo Mother Care, RPS – research priority scores, AEA – average expert agreement, HPSR – health policy and systems research, ANC – antenatal care, CPAP – continuous positive airway pressure, EPI – epidemiological research, RIEI – research to improve existing interventions, RDNI – research to develop new interventions, LBW – low birth weight, SGA – small for gestational age, PTB – preterm birth, ROP – retinopathy of prematurity, QI – quality improvement