Respectful Partnerships Research Articles

Towards inclusive collaboration in volcanology: guidelines for best-engagement protocols in international collaboration

The International Network for Volcanology Collaboration (INVOLC) is a network formalised by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) with the specific ambition to enhance volcanology globally through improved international collaboration. IAVCEI-INVOLC was created with a focus on volcano scientists working in resource-constrained contexts, including those based in low- or middle-income countries. After a community-wide online survey and inaugural workshop during which INVOLC’s ambitions were discussed, a series of challenges, as commonly experienced by those working in resource-constrained settings, were identified. These challenges may present barriers to participation in volcano science in an international context and are related to both organisational resources (financial, human, technical) and inclusion in research collaborations. In this perspectives paper, we present a series of 15 guidelines for best-engagement protocols in international collaboration in volcanology that may be adopted during times of quiescence, volcanic unrest and/or an eruption and its aftermath. Our aspiration is that these guidelines will help build more respectful, equitable and sustainable partnerships that will ultimately advance the science of volcanology.

Integration of patient and public involvement in a doctoral research study using the research cycle

BackgroundPatient and public involvement (PPI) in research is widely acknowledged as essential to achieving successful and impactful research. Despite this acknowledgement, there are limited reports on how to approach and apply meaningful PPI throughout the research cycle and how to address challenges for researchers such as doctoral students, particularly when undertaking research on sensitive topics. This paper provides insights and examples for researchers new to PPI, on the impact of active PPI and recommendations for building and developing a PPI group in a paediatric focused doctoral research study with bereaved parents and carers.MethodsPPI was informed by the research cycle. The GRIPP2 short-form checklist was used to report PPI. The research was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.ResultsPPI enhanced the research through input into the study design, recruitment, co-design of the study website and branding; and ethics amendments to increase participation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The literature review was extended to incorporate a PPI consultation phase and members contributed to data analysis. A flexible approach enabled involvement to develop iteratively throughout the research study, resulting in changes being made to enhance the study design and outcomes.ConclusionThis paper contributes to the limited knowledge base on embedding PPI into a doctoral research study and within the paediatric setting specifically working in partnership with bereaved parents and carers. Employing an adaptive approach to meet individual PPI needs, building a trusting and respectful partnership, creating shared ownership and investment in the research, are essential components to successful PPI.

Linking implementation science and policy: Process and tools for congressionally mandated implementation, evaluation, and reporting.

To describe a process model for assisting partners in addressing requirements of legislation and review policy analysis, planning, and evaluation design processes and tools. Throughout its 25-year history, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) program has been a forerunner in partnering with organizational leaders to improve health care. The Foundations of Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018 provided new opportunities for QUERI and other implementation scientists to support federal agency leaders in implementing, evaluating, and reporting on congressionally mandated programs. Although implementation scientists have the skills to support partnered implementation and evaluation, these skills must be adapted for congressionally mandated projects as many scientists have limited experience in policy analysis and the intersection of data informing organizational policy, programs, and practices (i.e., evidence-based policy). During the conduct of four congressionally mandated projects, our national VA QUERI team developed processes and tools to achieve the goals and aims of our VHA partners and to ensure our collective work and reporting met legislative requirements. Our process model, program planning, and analysis tools were informed by an iterative process of refining and adapting the tools over a period of six years, spanning the years 2017 to 2023. Work to support our partners was conducted across three phases: preparation and planning, conducting implementation and evaluation, and developing the congressionally mandated report. The processes and tools we developed within the context of mutually respectful and honest partnerships have been critical to our QUERI center's success in this area. Lessons we learned may help other scientists partnering in VA or other federal agencies to plan, conduct, and report on congressionally mandated projects.

Research ethics preparedness during outbreaks and public health emergencies: Focus on community engagement

Research represents an essential component of the response to infectious disease outbreaks and to other public health emergencies, whether they are localised, of international concern, or global. Research conducted in such contexts also comes with particular ethics challenges, the awareness of which has significantly grown following the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the Zika outbreak in Latin America and the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges include the need for implementing meaningful community engagement with the researched communities, not just to build unidirectional trust towards the research team, but to achieve a genuine and mutually respectful partnership before, during and after the research. Here, we describe the real-life experience of 10 well-established research clinics in Nairobi, where a successful experience of community engagement linking prevention and care to research was interrupted during the COVID19 pandemic. We contrast this experience with the concept and processes of community engagement as described in selected scientific manuscripts and guidelines, to formulate some conclusions and recommendations. We contend that more action is needed, from research ethics committees and other key-research stakeholders, to align policies and practices with ethics guidance and with evidence-based recommendations from the academic literature, to achieve meaningful community engagement during emergency research, irrespective of the scale and location of an outbreak or public health crisis. Failure to do so, will aggravate the (postcolonial) asymmetries of power in global health and local systems.

Maternity Service Professionals’ Perspectives of “the Good, the Bad, and the Possible” in Australian Maternity Services: A Content Analysis

OBJECTIVE:In 2019, the Australian government released a strategy for maternity care:Woman-centred care strategic directions for Australian maternity services(WCC Strategy), with mixed responses from providers and consumers. A public lecture and expert panel held in March 2021, titled “The Good, the Bad, and the Possible,” facilitated critique and feedback on the WCC Strategy and the Australian maternity system. The aim of this article was to report the findings of a qualitative analysis of participants’ views regarding the current perceptions of Australian maternity care.METHODS:A content analysis of responses to questions posed during the lecture and the commentary provided by participants was undertaken, utilizing a predetermined framework of “the Good, the Bad, and the Possible.”RESULTS:Approximately 700 participants, mainly from Australia, attended the event. The majority were midwives. Under the guiding framework, the category “When it works well” captured “the Good” aspects of maternity care. Under “the Bad,” major categories included “the system is broken,” “roadblock to maternity service reform,” and “not being seen or heard.” Suggestions for improvement, and hope that these will be enacted, were encompassed in “the Possible” categories: “what is needed” and “we’re in this together.”CONCLUSION:Participants identified widespread maternity system issues resulting in women’s needs not being met. Midwives indicated feeling invisible, as their repeated attempts at improvement were thwarted. Hierarchical power imbalances and medical privilege were suggested to be obstructions to respectful partnerships and expansion of midwifery models of care, preventing women from accessing safe birth options of their choice.

Reimagining institutional ethics procedures in research partnerships with young people across Majority/Minority World contexts

ABSTRACT While institutional ethics are crucial, their application on the ground often creates tensions with what is considered ‘ethical'. This paper reflects on the dissonances between formal institutional ethics and community-based research. The focus is on a project involving young people from India and Brazil, where they actively contributed as co-researchers and advisors. The project's international collaboration encompassed partners from Majority and Minority World contexts, including universities, community organizations, and government bodies. The project, initially planned before the Covid-19 pandemic but implemented during it, necessitated adjustments to its methodology. This paper examines the role of institutional ethic procedures in light of power imbalances and tensions within three areas: (1) research co-production with young people, (2) collaborative cross-country research with partners, and (3) the relevance of ethical guidelines in diverse research contexts. We raise concerns about the top-down nature of these procedures and emphasise the significance of reflexivity, conversations, and relationships in ethical considerations. With growing research in the Majority world (funded by the Minority world), there is an urgent need to recognise and build on the expertise of experienced local civic society organisations in ethical research and safeguarding, to work in genuine, respectful partnership with those we do research with.

The African Union and Emerging Patterns of Global Health Governance

Abstract During the global COVID-19 pandemic, the shortcomings and inequities in the global health system were amplified. International actors lost faith in the major global health institutions, and there was intense competition amongst states for critical supplies and vaccines. During these challenging circumstances, the African Union (AU) and its specialized technical institute (now autonomous agency) the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), led a multi-faceted response to combat COVID-19 in Africa and advocate for the African region globally. Beyond responding to the immediate crisis, the AU and Africa CDC recognized that Africa would need to build its capacity to respond to future public health security threats. They embraced the idea of the New Public Health Order for Africa to build public health institutions and workforces, expand manufacturing of critical medical supplies, increase public health resources, and build balanced and respectful partnerships ("Call to Action: Africa's New Public Health Order" 2022). In the years since the emergence of COVID-19, the AU and Africa CDC seized on the momentum created by the pandemic to build public health institutions and to take concrete action to begin to implement their vision for a New Public Health Order for Africa. This article focuses on how the response of the AU and Africa CDC to COVID-19 is driving an evolution in public health within Africa and the emerging impacts on global health governance more generally. It demonstrates that Africa is creating a space between state-based public health and global health governance by regionalizing public health to enhance Africa’s capacity and agency.

Building positive respectful midwifery relationships: An analysis of women’s experiences of continuity of midwifery care in Aotearoa New Zealand

Problem/BackgroundRespectful woman-centred care is an expectation of the Midwifery Standards of Practice within Aotearoa New Zealand. With both the national and international expectations identifying human rights as a priority in maternity care. Mistreatment can be experienced by women in all socio-political contexts. Identifying women’s experiences of their maternity service is vital when assessing the quality of these services. AimTo explore women’s experiences of continuity of midwifery care in Aotearoa NZ, whether they support the expectations within the Standards of Midwifery Practice and identify the characteristics of care that may contribute to positive or negative experiences of care. MethodsA retrospective analysis of women’s formal online feedback to their midwife using a mixed method design. Feedback forms received from the 1st January 2019 to the 31st December 2019 were analysed using descriptive statistics with free text thematically analysed. FindingsA total of 7749 feedback forms were received demonstrating high levels of satisfaction overall. Three overlapping themes were identified as being central to both positive and negative feedback. Building a positive relationship involved three steps. These were the establishment and maintenance of trust, honouring decisions and empowerment. Overall, the existence of these relationship characteristics contributed to a valued woman-midwife relationship.Women who gave negative feedback identified a lack of trust and a failure to honour decisions which led to women feeling disempowered contributing to a lack of being valued in the relationship. Conclusion: Continuity of care in Aotearoa NZ supports the development of a respectful partnership through trust, honouring decisions and empowerment.

Application of Self-Reflection Using Reflective Journal on Oxytocin Massage Skills in Diploma Three Midwifery Students

Midwifery is a profession based on women-centered and evidence-based care through the provision of mutually respectful professional relationships and partnerships. To train students' skills, repeated learning is needed, learning can be sourced from experiences such as doing self-reflection by keeping a reflective journal. This research aims to analyze the effect of applying self-reflection using a reflective journal on oxytocin massage skills. This research is an experimental research using a one-group pretest-posttest group design approach, taking samples using a simple random sampling technique. The research population was all level III students in a bivariate analysis using the Friedman ANOVA test. The results showed that the pretest mean value was 59.28 increasing to 79.50 in the first posttest and 83.38 in the second posttest with a p-value <0.05, which means that there is an effect of applying reflective journals using reflective journals on oxytocin massage skills. Having students write reflective journals is a great way for them to learn new concepts. This approach is also useful for lecturers to get feedback on the concepts being studied by students. The use of reflective journals will guide students to analyze what they have and do not know about the material being studied and how to overcome the obstacles encountered so that learning goals are achieved and foster independent learning in students.

Transformative Social Work Practice: Providing Meaningful Support to People Living with Mental Health Challenges

Social workers around the globe are seeking to better understand the needs of people living with mental health challenges. Drawing on learning from social work practice and support partnerships, this article explores current thinking on recovery processes and the factors that contribute to effective support for people living with mental health challenges. The article presents a framework for practice which is informed by current thinking on recovery and support and draws on the key elements of transformative social work practice. Transformative practice involves support at an individual level and interventions at multiple levels (organisational practices, community contexts, and policy development) to enhance capability and achieve sustained and enduring change. Relational approaches are a cornerstone of transformative practice which promote respectful and trust-based partnerships that enable people living with mental health challenges to create meaning in their lives and receive meaningful support and resources. Central to this practice is critical reflection; social workers reflect on their practice and their role in challenging the systems and practices that prevent people living with mental health challenges from determining their own recovery pathways.

Multiple Histories: The Archaeology, Ethnohistory, Oral History, and National History of Iximche', Guatemala

This article calls for the use of multiple histories to reconstruct the past. More specifically, it argues that Indigenous histories should figure prominently in archaeological discourse. Although the word ‘decolonization’ and its derivatives are never used in the article, it argues for what would today be recognized as a decolonizing approach: foregrounding Indigenous voices, conducting research with benefits for Indigenous communities, changing language that legitimizes Eurocentric views, and ‘braiding’ different ways of knowing about the past. Drawing on ethnohistoric sources, Maya oral histories, archaeological reports, and national histories told by Ladino authorities, this paper examines several historical themes in relation to the Maya site of Iximche’: its origins, conflict and ethnic relations, politics, religion, and identity. This case study shows that combining multiple historical perspectives has the potential to highlight the dynamic, changing, and sometimes contradictory histories of Iximche’s people, and to assert the relevance of Iximche’ and the Maya to Guatemala’s past, present, and future. More generally, bringing together ‘multiple histories’ is a way for archaeologists to build respectful partnerships with Indigenous peoples and act as allies in revitalizing Indigenous identities and cultures. 

Principles for consumer involvement in health and medical research.

Principles for consumer involvement in health and medical research.

Disparities in rheumatoid arthritis outcomes for North American Indigenous populations

ABSTRACT Advances in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management have significantly improved clinical outcomes of this disease; however, some Indigenous North Americans (INA) with RA have not achieved the high rates of treatment success observed in other populations. We review factors contributing to poor long-term outcomes for INA with RA. We conducted a narrative review of studies evaluating RA in INA supplemented with regional administrative health and clinical cohort data on clinical outcomes and health care utilisation. We discuss factors related to conducting research in INA populations including studies of RA prevention. NA with RA have a high burden of genetic and environmental predisposing risk factors that may impact disease phenotype, delayed or limited access to rheumatology care and advanced therapy. These factors may contribute to the observed increased rates of persistent synovitis, premature end-stage joint damage and mortality. Novel models of care delivery that are culturally sensitive and address challenges associated with providing speciality care to patients residing in remote communities with limited accessibility are needed. Progress in establishing respectful research partnerships with INA communities has created a foundation for ongoing initiatives to address care gaps including those aimed at RA prevention. This review highlights some of the challenges of diagnosing, treating, and ultimately perhaps preventing, RA in INA populations.

Integrating Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge of land into land management through Indigenous-academic partnerships

In this article, the authors use an environmental justice lens to review the history of land management practices: first practiced through stewardship by Indigenous Peoples and then taken over by Western science-based land management. There is a long history of environmental injustice in this Great Turtle Island (North America), and we specifically focus on what is happening in the land currently called the United States. The objective of this article is to explain how to integrate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (Indigenous TEK) into Western land management practices through Indigenous-academic partnerships. We address this objective through: 1) a review of the literature on environmental injustice in Indigenous communities, the role Indigenous TEK has in providing sound ecological principles for land management, and examples of Indigenous co-management; 2) explaining how to engage in an Indigenous-academic partnerships; 3) through a quasi-case study we utilize qualitative narrative storytelling to tell the story and process through which some of our authors engaged in an Indigenous-academic partnership, the Earth Partnership-Indigenous Arts and Sciences (EP-IAS), with local Indigenous Tribal Nations through relationship building and dialogue to develop Indigenous-driven restoration and land management in the region; and 4) concluding with a discussion on how Indigenous-academic land management partnerships address environmental justice issues and create meaningful opportunities to address historical inequities. The quasi-case study we provide demonstrates the EP-IAS community engagement model, which exemplifies a mutually beneficial and respectful Indigenous-academic partnership through integrating Indigenous TEK and Western science in land management.

Co-designing research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers of mental health services, mental health workers, elders and cultural healers.

The disparity in mental health outcomes compared with non-Indigenous Australians means that there is an urgent need to develop an evidence base around how services can better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. A critical first step is to embed cultural safety into research methodologies. Here, we aim to establish the foundation of a research project through co-designing a qualitative interview with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers and community members about experiences of cultural safety with mainstream mental health services. Voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must be empowered across all stages of research. An Aboriginal-led research team conducted focus groups to understand clear, sensitive, and culturally appropriate ways of asking about experiences in mental health care, to co-design an interview on this topic. Participants were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers of mental health services, carers, mental health workers, Elders and Cultural Healers, living in Metropolitan and Regional Western Australia. Results suggest that Indigenous governance, together with investing in ongoing, and meaningful cultural awareness and cultural safety training (cultural awareness being a first step towards safety) for non-Indigenous researchers, together with taking the time to build respectful partnerships with communities through ongoing consultation, were appropriate and comprehensive methods of co-designing an interview. The process of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in research is as important as the outcome. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, self-determination, and relationship building with communities are essential. Empowering co-design methodologies are flexible, iterative, and ensure that the experiences and views of participants are valued, leading to more meaningful results.

Engaging frontline workers in policy development to support the implementation of measurement-based care: Lessons learned from a field-based workgroup.

Measurement-Based Care (MBC) is the use of patient-reported outcome measures repeatedly over the course of treatment to track progress and empower both providers and patients to collaboratively set goals and plan treatment. The Measurement-Based Care in Mental Health Initiative within the Department of Veterans Affairs' Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention partnered with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Mentoring Program to create an interdisciplinary field-based workgroup. The workgroup included psychologists, clinical social workers, and mental health counselors from PTSD Clinical Teams. The task of the workgroup was to create guidelines for best practice in delivery of MBC in PTSD Clinical Teams given anticipated policy requiring MBC to be used in PTSD Clinical Teams. Framed in the Strategic Action Field Framework for Policy Implementation Research, the current paper evaluates this hybrid top-down and bottom-up process of policy development. Major barriers included difficulty with the workgroup as an authentic bottom-up process, inability to reach the entire field (e.g., focus groups not widely attended by providers), and limited diversity in the workgroup. Facilitators included using consensus to make decisions, support provided to workgroup members by national operations partners, and collaboration and mutual respect among workgroup members. Workgroup members noted an equal, respectful partnership between operations partners and the workgroup; they reported feeling empowered and believed the viewpoints of the field were included in the guidelines. Further, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the workgroup included more guidelines specific to telehealth into the guidelines. This hybrid model provides a process through which frontline workers can inform policy development and implementation.

The evolution of research participant as partner: the seminal contributions of Bob Veatch.

Well before patient-centered or patient-controlled research became trendy, and earlier than calls to preferentially refer to research subjects as participants, Bob Veatch wrote "The Patient as Partner"Veatch presciently argued that research patients should not be thought of as passive subjects nor material from which to obtain data, but rather as partners in discovery. In this manuscript, I will explore Veatch's conception of patient as partner in research and how that idea has evolved and been implemented over time and consider some of the remaining challenges. Complexities of patient partnership include: clarifying the types of research in which patient partnership is most appropriate, recognizing the various possible levels of patient engagement in each case, avoiding tokenism and striving for respectful partnership, and keeping in mind the appropriate implementation of protections and safeguards. Bob Veatch would be pleased with the progress that has been made in creating research partnerships with patients, while also undoubtedly pushing us to continue to do better.

Collaborative Practices in Early Childhood Intervention: the case for explicitly striving for maximal participation of families

Early Childhood Intervention aims to empower parents and children to become confident and competent in independently finding solutions to everyday life challenges. Therapists have only the best intentions in their practice; however, in their eagerness to help, they may be unknowingly disempowering parents when taking ownership of the intervention. The purpose of this opinion paper is to encourage and inspire therapists to pause, reflect, and reconsider the significance of parent-therapist partnerships and the use of a coach approach for implementing Family-Centred Best Practice. Based on clinical and research experiences in Early Childhood Intervention, the authors believe that therapists need to further develop communication and interpersonal skills so that they can empower parents in the same way they empower children. When therapists are trained to implement collaborative practices, they may feel less pressure to have all the answers and be primarily responsible for supporting children's development and functioning. Collaborative practices such as coaching can help therapists establish a respectful, equitable, and complementary partnership with parents, transforming “power over” relationships into “power with” relationships. This change can be more rewarding and satisfying for everyone involved. Providing best practice interventions often requires therapists to constantly focus on their therapeutic expertise. Yet, the effectiveness of interventions for children and their families can also be significantly improved if therapists refine how they deliver their services. Parents play a key role in the successful intervention of their children; therefore, to achieve sustainable long-term therapy goals, it is necessary to understand how to communicate with, relate to, and coach parents effectively.

Effective Cross-National Respectful Partnerships: A Case Study of Peace Corps' Volunteer Covid-19 Volunteer Evacuation.

Strong, trusted partnerships within a social capital framework are core to Peace Corps’ successful international, national, and community interactions and outcomes. The Peace Corps’ integrated three level model has thrived since its beginning in 1961. During this time, about 250 000 two-year Volunteers have lived and worked in 142 countries. In March 2020, the Peace Corps had to evacuate all 7 000 currently serving Volunteers because of the world-wide Covid-19 pandemic, a task organized and completed in nine days. The evacuation’s success depended on the resiliency of these honored long-term partnerships, and specifically: a partnership model with three intertwining layers of collaboration between national and host country staff and Volunteers;years of respectful integration of Volunteers in local communities building mutual trust;in-country and cross-nation preparedness for health, safety, and security emergencies;transparent communication during the evacuation among all involved parties in every nation with Volunteers; andin-country and host country staff support across countries during the evacuation. This case study illustrates elements of effective and sustainable partnerships that ensure their effectiveness during a crisis and survival beyond the crisis.I write this at the anniversary of one year from my stepping down as the twentieth Director of the Peace Corps. During my tenure, I brought home all 7 000 currently serving Volunteers in nine days as the Covid-19 pandemic spread across countries. This massive – and successful – undertaking was possible because of long-standing and trusted partnerships between the Peace Corps and the communities and countries hosting Peace Corps Volunteers. This is my personal reflection and a reminder to build, honor, and tend relationships with international partners who are collaborators in learning, service, and research in good times and our friends, protectors, and allies in times of crisis.

Virtual recruitment and participant engagement for substance use research during a pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic resulted in cataclysmic changes to the research enterprise, causing a forced shutdown or rapid pivot to virtual methods. Adapting studies to the virtual environment also impacted recruitment and retention strategies. This review elucidated challenges and offered pragmatic recommendations, drawing on published literature and our prior work, to assist researchers in re-evaluating and amending best-practice techniques to bolster inclusive recruitment and study engagement of people using substances, particularly for virtual interviews or focus groups. Ameliorating recruitment strategies and research protocols to better fit virtual methods of recruitment and study administration required careful consideration of ethical and logistical implications. Many procedures to increase enrollment of underrepresented populations, such as building mutually beneficial and respectful community partnerships, recruiting via social media, or providing ambulatory research centers, existed prior to this specific pandemic. However, unprecedented disruptions in resources needed to participate in virtual interviews or focus groups, privacy concerns, and possible deteriorating trust in research necessitated continued adaptation and expansion of these strategies. Building upon prepandemic, community-engaged strategies may continue to facilitate diverse recruitment efforts and advance science productivity in the substance use and addiction field during the pandemic and thereafter.