Abstract
Background: Global health research partnerships are commonly led by Northern investigators who come from resource-rich research environments, while Southern partners participate with a paucity of research skills and resources. This power asymmetry within North–South research partnerships may further exacerbate the unequal distribution of benefits from the research process.
Methods: This study is designed to present the benefits and challenges of engaging in the research process from the perspective of The AIDS Support Organization (TASO), an HIV/AIDS care and treatment organization that has been involved in global health research partnerships. It uses a validated research tool entitled “Is Research Working for You?” to facilitate qualitative interviews surrounding the experienced benefits and challenges in engaging in the research partnerships as described by TASO staff.
Results: Three key themes emerged from the content and thematic analysis: 1) the reported benefits of research (e.g., evidence-based management, advocacy, etc.), 2) the challenges the research committee members face in becoming more involved in the research process (e.g., lack of data analysis skill, lack of inclusion in the research process, etc.), and 3) the institutional ambition at TASO to develop a Southern-led research agenda.
Conclusions: This is one of the few studies to document the development of a Southern-led research agenda in addition to the challenges of engaging in the research process. Mechanisms for moderating power dynamics within North–South partnerships can provide opportunities for improved research capacity and quality.
Keywords: Capacity building, research partnerships, neo-colonialism, sustainability, Uganda
Résumé
Contexte: Les partenariats de recherche mondiaux en santé sont communément dirigés par des chercheurs du Nord issus de milieux de recherche riches en ressources, tandis que les ressources et les compétences en recherche de leurs partenaires du Sud sont beaucoup plus maigres. Cette asymétrie du pouvoir dans les partenariats de recherche Nord-Sud pourrait exacerber la répartition déjà inégale des avantages du processus de recherche.
Méthode: Nous avons voulu présenter les avantages et les difficultés de participer au processus de recherche du point de vue de TASO (The AIDS Support Organization), un organisme de soins et de traitement du VIH et du sida qui intervient dans des partenariats de recherche mondiaux en santé. L’étude utilise un outil de recherche éprouvé (Is Research Working for You?) pour faciliter les entretiens qualitatifs sur les avantages et les difficultés vécus au sein des partenariats de recherche selon le personnel de TASO.
Résultats: Trois grands thèmes émergent de l’analyse du contenu et des thèmes des entretiens: 1) les avantages déclarés de la recherche (gestion fondée sur les preuves, plaidoyer, etc.), 2) les difficultés éprouvées par les membres du comité de recherche pour s’impliquer davantage dans le processus (manque de compétences en analyse de données, inclusion insuffisante dans le processus de recherche, etc.) et 3) l’ambition institutionnelle de TASO d’élaborer une liste de priorités de recherche sous l’égide de ses partenaires du Sud.
Conclusion: Cette étude est l’une des rares à faire état de l’élaboration de priorités de recherche pilotées par le Sud en plus des difficultés de participer au processus de recherche. Des mécanismes pour atténuer la dynamique du pouvoir au sein des partenariats Nord-Sud peuvent être l’occasion d’améliorer à la fois les capacités et la qualité de la recherche.
Mots clés: renforcement des capacités, partenariats de recherche, néocolonialisme, durabilité, Ouganda
Footnotes
Sources of Support: Canadian Association for HIV/AIDS Research; Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Conflict of Interest: None to declare.
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