Evaluating the process of partnership and research in global health: reflections from the STRIPE project

Background: Thoughtful and equitable engagement with international partners is key to successful research. STRIPE, a consortium of 8 academic and research institutions across the globe whose objective is to map, synthesize, and disseminate lessons learned from polio eradication, conducted a process evaluation of this partnership during the project's first year focused on knowledge mapping activities. Methods: The consortium is led by Johns Hopkins University (JHU) with 6 universities and 1 research consultancy in polio free, at-risk, and endemic countries. In December 2018 JHU team members submitted written reflections (n=9) and calls were held with consortium members to solicit feedback (n=7). Preliminary analyses used Blackstock's framework for evaluating participatory research to establish partnership evaluation criteria. In April 2019, an in-person consortium meeting formed a process evaluation working group that refined the criteria; final criteria were applied to STRIPE's research process and partnership with illustrative examples. Results: Twelve evaluation criteria were defined and applied: access to resources, expectation setting, organizational context, external context, quality of information, relationship building, transparency, motivation, scheduling, adaptation, communication and engagement, and capacity building. Members reflected on general and context-specific challenges and potential strategies. Teams suggested more time for recruitment, training, reflection, pre-testing, and financing, and recommended at least one full-time project coordinator in each setting. Conclusion: Successful management of multi-country, multicentered implementation research requires comprehensive communication tools, expectation setting, and institutional support. Capacity building addressing human resource needs for individuals and institutions should be incorporated early in project planning.

Anna Kalbarczyk, Aditi Rao, Yodi Mahendradhata, Piyusha Majumdar, Ellie Decker, Humayra Binte Anwar, Oluwaseun O. Akinyemi, Ahmad Omid Rahimi, Patrick Kayembe, Olakunle O. Alonge