Maama ne Maama - using community-based digital storytelling to improve maternal health in rural Uganda

Abstract

Background: Thousands of global health research projects are conducted every year, with the best of intentions: to improve the quality of healthcare in the poorest countries. However, findings are often not disseminated to those closest to the issuesnationals of the low and middle income countries under study. Rather, they are presented at global health conferences in the higher income countries from which the researchers hail. The aim of the proposed study is to determine the frequency with which global health researchersparticularly studentspresent their findings in the studied countries. We hypothesize that most global health researchers do not formally present their findings in the very countries in which research was conducted. Methods: For this survey, we will collect information about the extent to which the principal author of each poster accepted to the 2015 CUGH conference has disseminated his findings. Specifically, authors will be asked whether or not the research presented at CUGH has been or will be formally presented in the country in which it was conducted. Additional questions seek to identify barriers to dissemination. Surveys will be conducted and responses stored using REDCap. Eligible participants consist of principal authors who are presenting research conducted outside of the US and Canada. We estimate that 400 participants will meet our eligibility criteria. A link to the questionnaire will be emailed to each participant at the email address provided at time of submission to CUGH. The methods are pending approval from the Institutional Review Board at Vanderbilt University. The email sent to each author that contains the link to the questionnaire will summarize the purpose of the study, as well as the potential risks and the voluntary nature of participation. A decision to click on the link and complete the questionnaire will be viewed as implied consent. We will report the percentage of authors presenting research in the country under their study, as well as a summary of the subjective responses to the questionnaire. Findings: We anticipate a survey completion rate of 90%, which will yield a final study sample of 360. Based on previous experience with global health research, particularly that conducted by students, we believe that the majority of researchers will not have distributed their findings in the country in which they conducted research. Interpretation: If our hypothesis is correct, we as researchers are missing a crucial opportunity to share information with the very people who are in a position to implement the researched changes and programs that can improve health outcomes. The goal of this investigation is to make researchers aware of the need to disseminate their research in the countries they study. Funding: No funding was obtained for this study. Abstract #: 02ETC092